Dead Inside
by Lady Luce
Summary: When Celebrian is taken by orcs in the Red Horn pass Elladan and Elrohir are desperate to save her. Against their father's wishes they set off alone and soon find themselves in a situation far worse than they bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

**-Dead Inside-**

-ElvenHope-

_**Disclaimer: **Elladan, Elrohir, Elrond, Celebrían, Glorfindel… all Tolkien's. The only one I own is the horse. Written with all respects to J.R.R. Tolkien, I am making no money from this and it is simply for my enjoyment. The Lord of the Rings is property of Tolkien estates and his heirs.Please do not use original characters or situations without asking first - if there are any._

_**-Series-**_

_(Yes I have a series XD)_

_When Great Treasures Are Lost_

_(You don't have to have read the other story to understand this one, you may want to though)._

_**-Translations-**_

_Adar/Ada - Father/Dad_

_Naneth/Nana - Mother/Mum_

_Caradhras - Red Horn Pass_

_Penneth - young one_

_Muindor - Brother_

_Imladris - Another name for Rivendell_

_**A/N:** I studied the maps excessively in this book 'Journeys of Frodo' by Barbara Strachey and have come to the conclusion that Celebrían would have taken the same road the fellowship took to Eregion, and then continued through Caradhras (the red horn pass) on to Lorien. (Most people already knew that, but I thought that Caradhras and the red horn pass were too completely different places until now). I decided that this meant Elladan and Elrohir would have probably taken their mother to Lorien, rather than riding back over broken country to Imladris with her already half dead. Then again they may have decided to go back to Imladris as only their father could heal her -- this is something which caused me a bit of a dilemma, but I think I have figured everything out._

_Also, according to the Encyclopaedia of Arda Elladan and Elrohir were born in the year 130 of the third age and Celebrían passed across the sea in the year 2510 of the third age, this would mean that the twins were 2380 - which in human years is 17 (going by the Imladris calendar). I don't know whether this is right or not, but I decided that I would write them at this age seeing as it was the only explanation I could find._

_There are mixed opinions on what colour Celebrían's hair is, I'm keeping it as gold, seeing as that's the way it was in my first story._

_Apologies for any spelling, canon or date errors, though I do like to think I know my way around Tolkien's world, I don't believe I am an expert (and also I have no spellchecker)._

_I apologise for the very long and boring authors note, I hope you enjoy the story!_

:o:O:o:

Part One

It was the deepest watch of night and all the occupants of The Last Homely House slept peacefully - save one. The youngest son of Elrond tossed and turned madly in bed, caught in a nightmare he couldn't escape. He moved feverishly murmuring distraught words, his hands clutching at the bed clothes, his movements becoming more and more frantic until he jerked upright in bed and screamed loudly.

"Nana! Nana! No!"

Elrohir looked around panting desperately; sweat damp on his forehead then buried his head in his hands sobbing. He had been having this nightmare for weeks now - ever since his mother had left - and every time it became worse, stronger. Something bad had happened to her, something terrible and this recurring nightmare was becoming more and more frequent.

The door was thrown open and a disheveled Elrond walked in carrying a lighted candle which he placed on Elrohir's bedside before sitting down on the edge of the bed nearest his son.

"Elrohir, what is it?" Elrond asked his silver eyes filled with worry. Elrohir didn't answer; instead he flung himself into his father's arms sobbing into his shoulder. Elrond stroked his son's hair comfortingly, not yet knowing why he was in such a state, though he could guess. Elrohir's dreams had been bothering him a lot recently, and he often woke up shouting in the middle of the night.

"What happened?" Elladan asked racing into the room looking at his father shocked.

"I think Elrohir had a nightmare," Elrond answered still stroking Elrohir's hair soothingly shushing the inaudible whispers. The elder twin came around to sit down on the other side of the bed looking at Elrohir worriedly his forehead creased in an imitation of his father.

"What was it about Elrohir?" Elladan asked looking at his twin, wondering what could have caused him to become so distraught.

"Naneth," Elrohir mumbled into his father's shoulder. He pulled away suddenly, looking into his father's eyes with his own shining silver ones. "Ada there is something wrong, she's hurt! You have to find her!"

"Nothing has happened to your mother Elrohir, it was just a dream, she is safe in Lörien," Elrond tried to reassure his son thinking that he was still half asleep. Elrohir had always had a habit of talking in his sleep, ever since he was little, something which everyone found rather amusing. It was not so amusing now however, he had woken to Elrohir shouting for the past week and he needed desperately to know what was causing such bad dreams.

"No, no she's not in Lörien, she's in the Red horn pass," Elrohir whispered heart racing. His nightmares had been terrifying shooting directly to the core of his being. He hadn't seen clearly, everything had been distorted, but he had heard his mother screaming, he knew that she was in trouble and he couldn't help her! Fresh tears sprang to his eyes just at the thought and he buried his head in his hands again. "You have to save her, please Ada, please before it is too late."

Elladan looked at his father questioningly, confused and frightened by his brother's words. When Elrond shook his head dismissing the fact that Elrohir's dreams could possibly be truth he turned back to his twin still uncertain. Elrohir was so adamant that his dreams were real, how could his father know that they weren't? "Elrohir it was a dream."

"No," Elrohir shook his head choking through his tears before burying his head in his hands. "No it was real, I saw her, I heard her, it was real, please Ada, save her!"

"Ssh," Elrond whispered pulling his son to him, stroking his hair again, the movement almost a reflex. "I'll watch over you tonight alright, you just go to sleep, we can discuss this in the morning."

"But-"

"It was a dream 'Ro," Elladan said to his brother trying to comfort him.

"It wasn't," Elrohir whispered swiping at his reddened eyes. He allowed his father to guide him back into the bed though, and lay down watching Elrond with teary eyes. "Adar, please-"

"It was a dream Elrohir," the Elven Lord whispered. "Nana hasn't ever been away for so long before; you're just worried about her and its perfectly natural. Just like she worries about you when you go hunting."

"But, but it was so real-"

"Dreams are like that sometimes 'Ro," Elladan said agreeing with his father's theory far more quickly than his brother's. Elrohir always had strange dreams and nothing ever came of them, why should this one be any different? Elrohir had an active imagination that was all; nothing could have happened to his mother, it wasn't possible. He recalled that Elrohir used to sleep walk when he was younger and their mother went to Lörien without taking them, it was probably just anxiety, just like his father said. Besides Elrond was the psychic in the household, how could Elrohir have seen something and not his father? Then again, Elrohir was more in touch with their mother's feelings - but Elrohir and he normally shared dreams - especially strong ones...

The more Elladan thought about it the more it made his head hurt so in the end he decided it was best to side with his father. He was too tired to think and he couldn't comprehend the idea that something had happened to his mother.

_It was just a bad dream_. Elrohir tried to tell himself that, but no matter what he couldn't believe it. He fell into a disturbed sleep shortly after his head hit the pillow, comforted by the familiar prescience of his brother and father, but his dreams still haunted him and he woke in a cold sweat at dawn to find that there was no one there.

"Ada?" He asked looking about the room worriedly pace quickening. Had the dream of his mother been a dream in another dream itself? He clambered out of bed, pulled on a dressing gown and wandered out of his room down the halls of his house in search of his father and brother.

It was barely light, the pale sunlight filtered through the windows giving the world a cool and fresh feeling. Worry ran through him, making him feel sick when he wondered on the nature of his dream again. His parents had always told him that the sunlight would make those nightmares go away, but for some reason it didn't. He padded on down the hall, his feet bare searching all the rooms he could think of for his brother and father.

He found them eventually in Elrond's study. When he opened the door they looked up at him with grim expressions, his father holding a letter in his hand with a seal of Lörien. Elrond's forehead was creased as he squinted at the paper whilst Elladan fidgeted in his chair biting his lip.

"Adar?" He asked quietly, worriedly, the air in the room was so thick with tension it felt as though one could cut it with a knife.

Elrond looked up, his silver eyes troubled. "Elrohir, I am sorry that I did not wake you, I thought you needed the sleep."

"Oh," Elrohir said sitting down not knowing what else to say. "I didn't know whether I dreamt all of that or not."

"You didn't 'Ro," Elladan said his voice shaking. Elrohir's eyes flicked to his brother worried, but Elladan wouldn't look at him his chin rested on his hand, his fingers worrying his lower lip. Something was obviously bothering him and Elrohir's fear increased when he realized that his brother was shaking.

Elrohir looked between the pair of them confused. "What has happened? Is it something to do with Nana? Ada, tell me!"

The Elven Lord put the letter down on his desk, looking across at his son over steepled fingers managing to stay calm despite the fact that inside he was as worried as Elladan – if not more so. "Elrohir, a letter has come from Lörien..."

There was a silence for a short while before Elrohir prompted, "and...?"

"Your mother never arrived there," Elrond said unable to meet his son's gaze. "It would seem that your dream was correct ion-nín, your mother is indeed in grave danger."

Elrohir gasped, raised a hand to his mouth. "That's not true, it was just a dream."

"I wish it were," Elrond said sadly eyeing the parchment. "But we have no other explanation."

"But-"

"It wasn't a dream 'Ro," Elladan said stiffly. "I am sorry I did not believe you."

"We have to go find her," Elrohir exclaimed standing up, amazed that his brother and father had not already gone after her. When neither of them moved he cocked his head, looked at them quizzically. "What are you waiting for? Come on-"

"Elrohir-"

"What?" Elrohir asked cutting his father off.

"I-"

"Ada is refusing to let us go after her," Elladan said sulkily, glaring at his father, his hands folded across his chest a defiant light in his eyes.

"What! Why?" Elrohir turned on his father. "Why can't we go and find her?"

"If your mother is already in danger I will not let the pair of you risk your lives as well," Elrond said remembering the nasty experience his sons' had had with orcs only a few years ago. "I will send out a patrol."

"We could go with them," Elrohir suggested hopefully. He knew they couldn't take on a pack of orcs by themselves, despite how much he wanted to, but if they went with a patrol then nothing bad would happen to them. Why was their father being so stubborn?

"No," Elrond said flatly. "I forbid you to leave under any circumstances, I should have believed you sooner Elrohir, when these dreams first started, but I didn't and I would not forgive myself if you got killed."

"We are old enough to look after ourselves," Elladan said furious standing up and storming over to his father's desk, leaning over it and looking him in the eye. The elder twin had both hands leant on the desk and was trying to look intimidating, but the fact that he was shaking slightly ruined the effect. "You cannot tell us what we can and cannot do! Nana could be dying-"

"Which is why you two are staying here," Elrond said leveling his son with his stern gaze. "You know what those creatures are capable of I will not have the pair of you getting yourselves caught as well."

"But-

"Ada-"

"That is final," Elrond said stopping both of his son's mid-sentence. "Go to your rooms now both of you, I have to think."

"Whilst you are thinking Naneth could be dying," Elladan hissed. "I will never forgive you if she's dies Adar, not when you are wasting valuable time and we may never be able to say goodbye to her because of you."

Elladan stormed out then followed by Elrohir who looked a little too stunned to speak. Elrond held his head in his hands, speaking softly as the door slammed shut. "I know ion-nín, I would not be able to forgive myself."

* * *

Elrohir followed his brother silently knowing that it was not a good idea to get on his Elladan's bad side when he was angry. The younger twin knew that Elladan was going to deliberately disobey their father without a second thought, without even considering the fact that Elrond might be right, like he normally always was.

When the elder twin reached his room he turned on Elrohir, "get dressed," he ordered sharply, "quickly." Then Elladan left Elrohir standing out in the hall before the younger elf could even try and reason with him.

Elrohir did as his brother had told him to, knowing in his heart that he was going to go with Elladan - if they weren't caught, and at the same time weighing up everything his father had said. What if they did get caught? It would simply make matters worse. The memory of his mother's scream flooded his memory suddenly and he blanched half way through braiding his hair, gripping onto his wardrobe door with a white knuckled hand until the memory faded. He swallowed hard pushing away tears. His dream had been terrible last night when it had been just that - only a dream. But now it wasn't; now it was real and the idea stung him to the core.

He checked his brother's room a few minutes later to find that Elladan had already left. Hurrying back to his own room and grabbing his weapons he headed down to the stables as quietly as possible. They were lucky it was still morning and that most people were still asleep.

Elrohir entered the stable cautiously; he knew Elladan was in there, he also knew that his brother was in an incredibly bad mood. He did, however, have a perfectly good reason for it and they both knew that. The idea that their mother had been taken by orcs drove right to the core of both of the twins, and the mention of orcs made Elrohir physically sick. He had had nasty experiences with those creatures and it looked like they were about to have another one.

"Elladan where are you going?" He asked even though he already knew the answer.

"Where do you think?" Elladan asked tightening the girth on his saddle a little too sharply for his horse who gave a disapproving whiny.

"You are going to find Naneth," Elrohir answered slowly before protesting. "But Elladan Ada said that we couldn't..."

"I don't care Elrohir!" Elladan snapped turning on his brother. "I'm going, are you coming with me or not?"

"I don't... I don't know," Elrohir said running a hand through his hair. "We could wait for the patrol and go with them."

"Ada won't let us, you know that," Elladan said glaring at Elrohir, although the younger twin knew that his brother's anger was directed at his father - and that was for unjust reasons. "Look I'm going now and you can do what you always do Elrohir and behave for Adar or you can come with me now!"

Elrohir was silent contemplating what his brother had just said. Elladan often got angry with his brother when he didn't take his side over his parents; it had happened a lot when they were younger and in the rebellious stage of growing up.

Elladan looked at him an odd glint there that Elrohir couldn't quite place. "She's our mother Elrohir, and she's out there somewhere. What if orcs have her? What will you do then? When it's too late? You'll feel guilty for not helping her and I will not feel one bit of pity for you because you brought it on yourself. You know what those creatures can do Elrohir, you know. What if she's dying somewhere in a cave? She could be fading for all we know or those wretched creatures could be-"

"No!" Elrohir shouted suddenly the idea of what could be happening to his mother too much to bear, memories of his dreams that he didn't even know he had waking within him. "Shut up Elladan!" The younger twin turned to go, feeling ill and confused when Elladan grabbed his arm.

"If you leave now Elrohir, if you leave Naneth when she could be dying then I don't know you anymore," Elladan's gaze was fierce and Elrohir was stunned for a moment. "Well, are you coming or not?"

Elrohir was taken aback by his brother's sudden outburst and jerked out of his brother's hold. "How can you talk to me like this Elladan?" He asked angry at his brother's obvious selflessness. "I am just as worried as you are, Ada is too, but unlike you I am clever enough not to run into something when it could just risk Nana's life! At least I am thinking about it!"

Elladan stayed silent, seemingly ignoring him, but Elrohir could see that his twin was shaking again and suddenly felt a rush of guilt.

Elrohir sighed. He knew what the right thing to do was, despite the fact that he would be betraying his father's wishes, but at the same time he didn't really know if he wanted to find her. He wanted his mother home alive with them now, but if when they found her it was too late then he didn't think that he could bear it. The idea made him blanch and he leaned against the side of his horse's stall, feeling physically sick. Elladan looked at him questioningly. He had that same odd defiant glint in his eyes, mixed with the emotion that before Elrohir had been unable to place until now. Fear. His brother was frightened, and Elrohir knew who the fear was for. He felt the same way although he was certain that his emotions were far easier to read than his brother's. Elladan could turn all emotions into anger - just like he was doing now.

"Elrohir are you coming," Elladan said brusquely silver eyes fixing on his, staring at him, boring into his mind, his soul making the younger twin want to shy away.

Elrohir swallowed, answered finally. "Yes."

"Good," Elladan said turning away quickly concentrating on readying his horse once again. "I have saddle bags packed for you over there." He nodded absentmindedly over to a bench behind Elrohir.

Elrohir's lip twitched in the beginning of a smile, as he looked back at his brother with narrowed eyes. Elladan had always known that he couldn't leave his mother, even if he himself hadn't. Then again, he thought wryly, he had known, why else would he have gone back for his sword and bow?

They prepared their horses quickly, checking them over - for the mountain paths were treacherous at this time of year and they could not afford to loose a horse, or be delayed by injuries.

"This is the right thing to do Elrohir," Elladan said seeing that his brother was worrying again as he tried to tighten the straps on his quiver.

"I know," Elrohir said sharply. "I'm just worried about Ada, and I don't know how we're going to get out of the valley without being spotted. You can see the road out of Imladris from Ada's study!"

"The sun will rise over the mountains and the road will be shadowed until later," Elladan answered calmly. "And Adar should be worrying too much about Naneth to concentrate on the road, so stop worrying."

"I can't," Elrohir said softly. "I never can and if I did then we'd probably be dead by now."

Elladan gave his twin a wry smile. "You're right; I need someone to worry for me."

"I wish you'd just think ahead for once in your life-"

"You sound like Adar," Elladan mocked.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," Elrohir said quickly, "he is wiser than you would like to think Elladan. And he happens to rule the one Elven realm that has never been in open war."

"And you would think that after all this time he would learn to trust his instincts. He wants to go after Nana too, I can see it, but he's too worried about leaving Imladris."

"He has his reasons," Elrohir argued.

"It does not matter Elrohir, I could not care less certainly ones family should come before all else," Elladan said crossly. "We do not have the time to talk about this now anyway Elrohir, it will take us a fortnight to reach Eregion - it's a distance of forty five leagues between here and there, and the horses will slow us down. Then we will have to travel along the old road between Dimrill stair and back until we find her, and I do not know how long that will take."

Elrohir rolled his eyes, his brother had always shown some skills in cartography, something which he knew he would never master. "Lead the way 'Dan."

Elladan took his Lowyth's reigns walking the mare towards the stable doors when he pulled up sharp.

"What is it?" Elrohir asked worriedly, but a second later his question was answered as Glorfindel entered the stable eyeing the twins suspiciously.

"And where exactly are you two going?" The Balrog Slayer asked folding his arms across his chest. He did not wait for an answer fixing Elladan with a hard stare deciding that this must be the elder twin's doing. "Your father has told me what happened, and he asked me to keep an eye on you and make sure you stay in Imladris."

"Well we're not and neither you nor my father can tell us what to do," Elladan snapped. "Now move Glorfindel or my horse will trample you."

"I can't let the pair of you go gallivanting off after orcs by yourselves, you won't stand a chance, you may not even find them," Glorfindel reasoned.

"Either way that is a risk we are prepared to take," Elrohir said quickly moving forwards to his brother's side.

"And what happens if you get killed?" The elder elf asked, his voice was sharp, yet there was a reasoning undertone to it, his eyes determined, but compassionate underneath. "Your Adar will have to deal with three deaths instead of one."

"You think it is already too late for Naneth don't you?" Elladan asked hotly although there was a tremor of fear in his voice.

"I don't know pen-neth," Glorfindel replied. "But if the worst comes to the worst and you stay in Imladris there will only be one death in your family. If you go like this the worst possible outcome is that all three of you will die."

"We don't have a choice," Elrohir said quietly. "I know how much we are risking Glorfindel, but can't you understand? Out mother is dying, and I've seen it all in my sleep for the past two weeks, I've heard her screaming and crying for us and I won't be able live with myself if I don't try to save her."

Glorfindel studied his face for a moment quizzically, taking in Elrohir's glassy silver eyes, filled with tears and an odd mixture of defiance and desperation. He sighed, shook his head slowly.

"I'll give you a day," he said slowly. "Then I'm telling your father."

A small smile spread across Elrohir's face. "Thank you Glorfindel, you will not regret this."

Glorfindel shook his head wondering what in Arda he was doing. "I hope not."

"Tell Ada we hit you," Elladan suggested grinning.

"I don't know Elladan," The Balrog Slayer gave him a wry smile. "Now get out of here before I change my mind."

Elladan moved first, leading his Lowyth out of the stable. Elrohir followed him and simultaneously mounting their steeds the twins galloped over the bridge across the Bruinen and down the curving track to the ford, away from Imladris.

* * *

Critique encouraged, reviews welcome! 


	2. Chapter 2

**-Dead Inside-**

-ElvenHope-

:o:O:o:

Part Two

For the first day they road non-stop, trying to put as much distance between themselves and their father's patrols as possible. They road on over the steep and broken foothills well into the next day - only ever stopping for the horses to rest or drink from the Bruinen which flowed along side the path. The weather was kind for the most part. Though it was dismal and grey and there was rarely any sunlight it had not rained. The winds which were normally fierce over this part of the land, especially at this time of year had died down a bit; but the twins knew that it was only a matter of time before they picked up again - especially when they reached the mountains.

It was early evening when Elrohir finally decided that they needed to stop. They made camp up against some mossy boulders which looked as though they were sinking into the craggy earth as the green fungus slowly made its way up over the jagged rocks, devouring it. Elladan made a fire whilst the younger twin went fishing in the river, which was only a few hundred yards away. Neither was very successful, as trees were scarce in the land which made it near impossible to find fire woodand Elrohir was too tired to concentrate on the fish as they swam futilly up stream.

The horses immediately settled down for the night exhausted. Not only had they been travelling for nearly two days, but the land was extremely difficult to navigate - and it was going to get worse.

Elrohir sighed, throwing the two fish he had caught rather unceremoniously at his brother's feet before collapsing onto his bedroll.

"Oh thanks," Elladan said sarcastically bending down to examine the fish. "Aren't you going to help me?"

"I caught the damned things," Elrohir snapped, too tired to concentrate at that moment. Normally he wouldn't be so worn out by this, elves could go a long time without sleep, but the worry knawing away inside him was both mentally and physically draining. He felt like he had gone an entire millenia without sleep and the idea of sleeping on the hard ground made his head hurt.

Elladan eyed his brother, decided not to argue and wrapped the fish in a cloth from his pack which he had brought with them specifically for that purpose. "I can't be bothered with these tonight," he decided. "Do you want some lembas?"

Elrohir grunted stretching out his hand and Elladan gave his brother the elven bread taking a piece for himself as Elrohir crammed his own pieceinto his mouth.

"You'll choke," Elladanwarnedkeeping an eye on Elrohirwho ate where he lay on his bedroll, his eyes closed one arm resting across his achingforehead.

"I couldn't care less," Elrohir answered through a mouthful of lembas then coughed and sat up retching.

"I told you so," Elladan chided and would have gloated further had he not been so worried and tired. Despite how much he enjoyed bantering with his twin, both of them had lost the will power to do so. There was no time for joking now, everything was far too serious for that.

Elrohir stuck out his tongue at his brother then lay down, wrapping himself in his cloak, turning his back to the fire.

"Elrohir?"

"Yes Elladan?" Elrohir rolled over, watching as the firelight danced across his brother's face, hisgrey eyes catching the light, reflecting it like silver.

"Do you think we'll save her?" Elladan asked staring into the heart of the flames, not looking at his brother. "Do you think we'll get there in time?"

"I don't know," Elrohir whispered. "We have to hope don't we? Hope is a light even in the darkest of places." He couldn't make himself believe in his own words, couldn't find truth or logic in them and so chose to ignore them, laying down on his back looking up at the stars, picking out Ëarendil. "Grandfather's star is bright tonight."

Though neither of the twins had ever known their grandfather, they were glad that they could see some semblance of him and their grandmother in the heavens. It was nice to feel that they were being watched over, even when they felt alone in the world.

"Yes," Elladan agreed. "Sleep well muindor."

* * *

Glorfindel waited anxiously outside Elrond's study, knowing that when Elrond found out that he had 'lost' Elladan and Elrohir he would much rather be fighting another balrog. Glorfindel was not an easy person to intimidate, but the magnitude of what he had done was certain to have a frightening effect on his friend. 

Elrond had been inside his study most of the day and a patrol was being prepared already for tomorrow. The balrog slayer did not know if he intended to go with them. Glorfindel did, Celebrían was a wonderful lady, always there and happy to help always in a good mood. He dared not think about what could be happening to her, nor did he want to think about how much she would change if she survived. He had to help, even if his friend was not going to; and besides he was the one that had let the twins go, if they were killed he would never forgive himself.

It had been stupid to let them go, they were still young still naïve, and Elladan in particular could be incredibly foolish and pig headed. Though he knew that in the heat of the moment Elrohir could be equally as stupid and stubborn.

Glorfindel knew that he should tell Elrond now and get it over with, but every time he worked up the courage it would fail him before he could knock. Finally, kicking himself for being so stupid he raised his fist and tapped lightly on the door, almost praying that Elrond wouldn't hear.

"Come in,"theElven Lordcalled and Glorfindel sighed pushing the door open and walking in.

Elrond looked up. "Hello Glorfindel, what brings you here? Are the twins alright?"

"Um…" Glorfindel found the words he had thought to say, picked around the subject carefully.

"Glorfindel?" Elrond asked brows knitted the papers in front of him completely forgotten, although it did not look like he had been paying much attention to them to begin with. There was a large splotch of ink on the paper where Elrond had been holding an inked quill for some moments as his mind drifted, allowing the ink to drip onto the paper.

"Well," Glorfindel bit his lip, looked down. "I appear to have lost them."

Elrond jumped up eyes blazing. "What?"

"I don't know what happened," Glorfindel replied almost taking a step back before he stopped himself. Elrond's eyes were a mixture of fear and anger and half ofGlorfindel was telling him that it mightbe best to run. He imaginedthe outcome would havebeen much worse if he did not lie to his friend.Despite how much he hated lying he was not about to tell Elrond the truth."I took them down to the archery field, I thought it might help them let off some steam. The next moment they were gone."

Elrond looked at him disbelievingly, unable to understand how the balrog slayer could loose two fully grown elves. His forehead creased and he closed his eyes raising a hand to massage his throbing temples. As though he didn't already have enough to deal with...

"How long ago was this?"

"A few hours," Glorfindel replied slowly.

"And why didn't you tell me sooner?" Elrond snapped. "They could have reached the Bruinen by now!"

"I thought I would find them easily enough," Glorfindel answered hoping that his story would fool Elrond and that the Elven Lord would not look into it any further. "I have been searching."

"You should have told me," Elrond said annoyed. He should have been paying attention to his sons, he should have looked after them himself. He had to get them back, but he feared leaving Imladris. Not only because the power that protected his home would wane, but because he was worried that Celebrían would be returned to Imladris whilst he was not there. What if Elrohir's dream had been incorrect? What if Celebrían was trapped somewhere else, what if the orcs moved her and someone found her, brought her home? Perhaps had already been found, he needed to be here in case she was brought back injured.

"I am sorry mellon-nín," Glorfindel said softly. "I will go with the patrols, I will find them."

The elven lord looked up, and Glorfindel saw suddenly how tired he was - how pale he looked. "Thank you Glorfindel," he sighed rubbing his temples, then sat down,resting his head in his hands. "I wish that I could come too, but I fear that my help is needed here. If Celebrían were to be found and brought here whilst I was searching for her then I would never forgive myself. I pray she is not hurt, I pray she is in Lorien now and was simply held up by the snow, but I cannot risk that. The patrol leaves tomorrow, a patrol has already left Lorien for the pass, I would be grateful to know that you are looking after my sons'."

"We will get her back Elrond," Glorfindel said quietly. A strange knot of foreboding twisted in his stomach as he looked at the letter which lay on Elrond's desk penned in Celeborn's flowing script, marked with the seal of Lorien. He wondered if Galadriel had seen anything, surely she would have if her grandson had seen something. Then again Elrond had not picked up on Celebrían's obvious distress and he had been married to her for years. A sudden thought struck him and he felt ill. What if Elrohir was imagining it? What if they had been too quick to believe the younger twin? What if the pair of them were riding into danger for no reason? He paused, looked Elrond in the eye. "I will make sure of it."

* * *

_Screams of pain and anguished cries of fury. Snatches of images, places creatures… And then, dead eyes, once a beautiful sky blue hue now turning grey from torment and darkness, a darkness that was growing from inside snuffing out all light from the ethereal being. A wan pale face, dry broken lips, hair tangled and matted lank and dead._

_Dead. Those eyes bored into him through him tearing at his soul until he felt his heart breaking._

_"Naneth?" Elrohir whispered. She didn't see him only stared out into the darkness from where she sat bound, unable to escape._

_A sound came from another passage somewhere close by and Elrohir noticed the flicker of torchlight approaching them. His mother lifted her head, turned to look in the direction of the sounds, her expression never changing._

_Elrohir looked around for something, anything to defend her with, he would not let them touch her again._

_Orcs entered from an passage at the other side of the room, their gruesome faces distorted by shadows and torchlight._

_Elrohir grabbed a rock, made to go forwards between his mother and the orcs, but the shadows took hold of him, coiling around his arms and wrists, pulling him back into the darkness of the cave._

_The creatures reached her then, laughing mockingly, their voices echoing faint, saying something Elrohir was unable to understand. He heard the sibilant hiss of a blade being drawn and yelled at the creatures in fright, trying to draw their attention to him._

_He tried to move forwards again, but the shadows stopped him restraining him as heattempted futillyto escape._

_And then he heard screams again, muffled whimpers and moans and tears burned his eyes and throat as he fell to his knees sobbing, unable to help. "Nana," Elrohir murmured. "Please hold on, please."_

_She was crying again, the orcs were laughing and he begged them to stop, but no one heard him the shadows drawing him back away from the scene before him. And then something shook him, hard..._

"Elrohir!"

"No, Nana!"

"Elrohir wake up!"

Elladan paled, he had known what his brother was dreaming, but that anguished cry ripped right through him. He himself had woken a few minutes prior, wondering what had startled him only to find Elrohir moving fitfully in his sleep, crying mumbling words he couldn't understand.

And now no matter what he did Elrohir wouldn't wake up. Elladan shook Elrohir again before turning and grabbing a water skin, emptying the contents over Elrohir's head.

Elrohir shouted, jerked upright blinking bewilderedly. "Elladan," he gasped ignoring the fact that his twin had just drenched him and flinging his arms around his brother's shoulders tears wracking his slender frame.

"I had that dream again," he sobbed, his heart still racing. "It was worse this time, I-I was with her and the orcs came and I tried to help her, but I couldn't get to her…"

His words chocked off then and Elladan held his twin tightly fear gripping his heart.

"Did she die?" Elladan asked his mouth dry. "In your dream did Nana die?"

Elrohir shook his head, he would have known even though towards the end of his dream the shadows had blinded him, he would have known.

"Good," Elladan said softly, convincing himself that if Elrohir's dreams were true - as they had been so far - then their mother must still be alive. "It's alright Elrohir, we will find her." Elladan looked at the sky, dawn was coming. "We had better get going if we want to stay ahead of Adar's patrol."

Elrohir nodded again, "I won't sleep again today anyway."

He pulled away from his brother's embrace swiping viciously at his eyes and stood up, moving about the campsite and packing everything away, preparing to leave. The elder twin stood too to help his brother and soon they were riding over the planes again, not knowing where their mother was or how she was coping, but determinedto bringing her back.

* * *

The patrol left early in the morning, whilst the land was still in darkness and the birds were only just waking. Elrond followed his friend from the stables as Glorfindel led Asfaloth into the courtyard where the other members of the patrol were waiting for him. 

The Balrog Slayer stopped at when he was just out of earshot of those who were waiting, turned to face Elrond.

"I'll find them Elrond," Glorfindel said quickly meeting the elven lord's silver gaze with his own cerulean one, the promise blazing in his eyes. "And I'll bring them back here safe and sound."

Elrond smiled warmly, wishing that he could go with his friend, wishing that he could at least find his sons and escort them back to Imladris. He had stayed up for most of the night thinking about it, pouring over maps, marking out well known caves in Caradhras for Glorfindel and the patrol, should they need it. It was at this time which he had started to wonder if he should join them. After all, if Celebrían was found somewhere in the pass and gravely injured then they would need a healer.

He had discussed the matter with both Erestor and Sidhe, the weapons master - he had been unable to find the balrog slayer, probably because he was getting some much needed sleep. Both of them had understood his problem, but both had answered that he should stay. Elrond had found healers to send with the patrol, healers that were skilled enough in battle to defend themselves.

Half of him still thought that this was a bad dream, and once again he was questioning the Valar's motives. This was twice they had done this to him now, did they hate him so much that they would torture him in the worst way possible. He wondered idly if it was his mixed blood, but dismissed it unable to believe that the Valar could be prejudice against their own creation.

Elrond felt tired, more so than he had in a long time, and the fact that he had been awake for nearly two days now probably didn't help.

"Hannon le, mellon-nín," Elrond said softly. "Noro celeg."

"As fast as Asfaloth will bear me," Glorfindel replied climbing up into the saddle.

Sidhe called out orders for the patrol to move out and Glorfindel followed up at the end of the procession. The Balrog Slayer was the only one of the patrol to have a mount, for he intended to ride ahead on Asfaloth and find the twins. This time he would not let them get away, he couldn't believe that he had been so stupid before.

"Namarie," Glorfindel called back. "Do not worry, we will be back with them soon!" He turned back to Asfaloth as he rode out of the gates, speaking so quietly that only the horse could hear him. "I promise."

* * *

After another five days of riding nearly non stop both of the twins were exhausted. They had barely had any sleep, Elrohir's nightmares had become more frequent and stronger than before. He woke up every night after only a few hours of sleep and then no matter how hard he tried couldn't get back to sleep again. If his nightmare had not woken his brother then he would sit and wait for Elladan to wake up. More often than not he did wake up histwin though and then they would ride on again. 

By the seventh night Elrohir couldn't even fall asleep the first time, despite how much he wanted to.

Elladan looked at him across the campfire, his tired eyes already falling out of focus.

"We need to catch more fish before we reach the mountains," he commented idly.

"I thought we had enough food for the whole journey," Elrohir said a little alarmed.

"I did," Elladan answered matter of factly. "But we don't know how many times we're going to have to back track through that mountain, or whether one of the horses will get injured." He sighed. "Elrohir what on Arda are we doing? We don't know where we're heading for, but either way we're walking straight into danger."

"We have to find Naneth Elladan," Elrohir said quietly. "We have to find her and bring her back home."

"I know," Elladan said softly. "But we should have at least waited and come with the patrol, we didn't really think this through well enough."

"Well you can sit here and wait for them to catch up, but I'm not," Elrohirreplied flatly.

"I wouldn't be able to wait," Elladan said picking at the grass at his feet. "No matter how hard I tried."

"You should sleep."

"Aren't you going to?"

Elrohir shook his head, "I can't, I don't want to have any more nightmares. They're too horrible." Elrohir looked across at his brother, his face pale and drawn, dark rings under his eyes. Elladan imagined that he looked similar to his brother, and sighed massaging his temples in a bizarre imitation of his father.

"You have to sleep Elrohir," Elladan chided. "It will be harder to sleep in the mountains, we may not find a good resting place for a while. We can't even attempt to rescue Naneth if we can't stay awake for more than two minutes."

"I'm not tired," Elrohir protested, but contradictorily he yawned a few seconds later.

"Just lay down and try to sleep," Elladan said flopping onto his own bedroll. "I know you don't want to because of your dreams, I can understand, but please just try."

Elrohir lay down reluctantly, and lay looking up at the stars. He turned to Elladan suddenly, but his brother's eyes were already glazed over, half open as he slept. Elrohir sighed and lay back down again. He was too afraid of his dreams to let himself fall asleep. Every time his eyes began to loose focus he would jerk awake again reminded of what he would see if he fell asleep.

He remembered with some irony that his mother had always told him that dreams weren't real and wondered if she was right. Was he just having these dreams for some unknown reason? Maybe his mother was already safe in Lorien, maybe she had simply been delayed. What if he was just leading Elladan into danger. He sighed, why did everything have to be so complicated?

The younger of the peredhel twins stayed awake for a long time. Half awake, but never fully asleep until well past midnight when he could no longer keep himself alert and he fell into a fitful slumber, surrounded by nightmares.

* * *

Glorfindel found one of the twins' camps near the Bruinen a day and a half later. He had rode ahead on Asfaloth as he had planned to. The horse was fast and agile even over the uneven ground and Glorfindel was glad to have him. It would have taken far longer had he been riding a different horse. 

He climbed out of the saddle, walking around the camp slowly, trying to deduce how long ago the twins had been there. He was not one for tracking and so found it hard, but eventually decided that he must be only around a days ride behind them.

He climbed quickly back onto Asfaloth, whispered a soft command in elvish and they were away again riding as fast as possible over the planes.

* * *

The night was quiet, the silver moon rose up over the tree tops, painting the forest with ethereal silver light. The mellorns rose high up into the canopy, shadowing the flets where most slept peacefully, comforted by the fact that they were well out of reach of any danger. Danger itself was unlikely anyway. A cool breeze blew through the woods whispering of memories long forgotten, sweeping in from the mountains beyond the woodland realm. 

Galadriel stood looking out at the forest, the silver moonlight playing on her golden hair. Her hands rested on the railing in front of her, her eyes stared out at the forest before her, but they were not seeing it clearly. The wind played with her hair, dancing about the elven lady and she caught a scent of the terror it had borne from the mountains, the screams she heard on the wind.

A silver haired lord with a noble face and kind eyes walked up behind her studied her from a distance. He knew from her posture that there was something amiss.

"Something is troubling you," Celeborn said knowingly, quite used to his wife's strange behaviour. He moved over to stand beside her looking in the direction she was staring, half hoping to see what she could. "What can you see? Do you know what has happened to Celebrían?"

"I have no idea where our daughter is," Galadriel sighed, blinking away the vision and turning to her husband. "But Elladan and Elrohir have gone after her. They are a weeks ride from Caradhras."

"Did Elrond send them?" Celeborn asked hoping that his son in law wouldn't have been that stupid. He knew that Elrond was intelligent, but sometimes his instincts could get the better of him.

"No I don't believe so," Galadriel said, her voice light and distant as always, her expression vague and impossible to read. "Something is troubling Elrohir."

"Do you know what?" Celeborn asked looking at her, seeing worry clear in her eyes.

"Something is haunting him, dreams - nightmares. I do not know, but they are heading straight into danger." She looked at her husband sadly, tears shining in her ice blue eyes. "One of them will not come out of this alive."

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for reviewing. This chapter is a bit of a gap filler, but you always need one of them here and there. Anyway next chapter will be up next week (hopefully). This story has been going well so far, but I don't know what will happen with time and all that._

_I am sorry for all the mistakes there were in the last chapter - in the first sentence for example, calling Elrohir the eldest twin. I have edited it now and everything should be fixed soonish_

_One thing that bugs me just that tiny bit, 70 hits for my last chapter and 4 reviews o.O_

_Reviews are encouraged and accepted with joy. Also critique is encouraged greatly! I really need to improve so be as hard as possible -- as long as the critisism is constructive._

_ElvenHope_

_Last edited: 16/5/06_


	3. Chapter 3

**-Dead Inside-**

-ElvenHope-

:o:O:o:

Part Three

"You have to stop worrying," Erestor said fixing the elven lord with his dark gaze. "You'll make yourself ill."

Elrond stood gazing out of one of the picture windows in his study, his eyes fixed on the road going out of Rivendell across the bridge. He didn't quite know what he was waiting for. Anything, news, one of his family returning, anything. Waiting was one of the hardest things to do. He pitied those who had to wait for operations to be done on loved ones - especially when it was a life threatening operation. But then again, he knew how that felt.

"My whole family has gone missing, tangled up with orcs and I don't know what else, and you tell me to stop worrying!" Elrond snapped turning on his advisor. "I should have gone, I should be out there with them, but I'm not! I'm here, where I won't be any use to them." He sat down at his desk, his head held in his hands. "I should be out there with them, I should be doing something…"

"You know why you stayed," Erestor tried to reassure him. "If Celebrían is brought back here whilst you are out looking for her then you would only blame yourself."

"And if she dies out on the slopes of Caradhras when I could have saved her had I been there then I will never forgive myself." Elrond looked up at the advisor, his face wan, his eyes dark.

Erestor sighed and sat down opposite him. "You carry the weight of a realm and a lot more," Erestor said glancing at Elrond's index finger where Vilya lay hidden. Few knew where it was few even knew that Elrond had it, but Erestor did. "And as well as all that you have a family to look after. Elrond, you have to stop blaming yourself."

"How can I?" Elrond asked crossly. "If I had just gone with Celebrían in the first place, if I had sent more guards with her then this wouldn't be happening."

Erestor sighed, there was no point in trying to reason with Elrond when he was in this frame of mind. "Do you want some tea? I can go down to the kitchens-"

"I'm fine Erestor," Elrond said brushing him off then added, "thank you."

There was a pause, Erestor looked around the study at the various books and papers scattered about the place. There were bottles of ink opened on the Elven Lord's desk, quills dripping the black liquid onto the carpet of paper that lay strewn across the old mahogany furnishings.

"When was the last time you ate something?" He asked slowly trying to look Elrond in the eye.

The elf dodged his gaze. "I can't remember."

"Making yourself ill will not help the situation," Erestor said exasperatedly. Trying to reason with Elrond when he was in this mood was like trying to convince an oliphaunt that it could fly.

"Elves don't get ill remember Erestor?" Elrond asked looking up at him tiredly. "We don't get ill and we don't get old and we don't feel the cold so you have nothing to worry about."

"You're exhausted," Erestor snapped. "You have to rest or by the valar I will force you to, what was the point in staying here if you are going to act like this?"

"You're right Erestor," Elrond said his eyes roving over his cluttered study. "I shouldn't be here I should be with my sons', I was so stupid not to listen to them. I just wanted them to be safe, but now they've done what I should have and gone to look for Celebrían and I have to wait, because I made the wrong choice twice and didn't see it until it was too late. And now I have another choice to make, but this time I'm going to make the right decision."

With that the Elven Lord stood and walked briskly to the door, suddenly stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Elrond," Erestor protested.

"Would you like to keep your arm Erestor, or is it coming with me?" Elrond asked turning on his advisor eyes flashing.

"You're being unreasonable," Erestor said stiffly.

"Am I? Because from my point of view this is the first time I've made sense in a very long time," Elrond replied. "There is no sense in instinct, in love, but that's the beauty of it. Sometimes you just have to let some other power guide you and I've been preventing that from happening for far too long. I don't care about Imladris at the moment, all I care about is my family and getting them all home safely before something bad happens; because if it does then it will be my fault, because I should have trusted my instincts sooner."

"We need you here," Erestor said earnestly. He saw the sense in what Elrond was saying, even though there was no sense in love, but at the same time he knew that if something happened. If Vilya was found then Imladris would fall along with her Lord. "What if something happens to you?"

"What if something happens to Celebrían or one of the twins?" Elrond asked eyes set, an odd silver fire dancing in them. "What if I loose one of them because of my own foolishness?"

Erestor let his hand slip from Elrond's arm, knowing he would not win this argument, knowing Elrond was right. "Take guards with you," he begged. "Don't be a fool twice in one week."

Elrond nodded. "Alright, as many as I can gather in the next two hours."

Erestor grimaced, knowing that no matter what Elrond said he intended on making the journey alone.

* * *

It was on the fourteenth day that the completely exhausted peredhil twins reached the beginning of the Red Horn pass only a little way from Eregion. Elrohir looked up at the snow capped mountains, his keen eyes picking out the black red veined mountains of Caradhras. He shivered, the mountain looked as though it was stained with blood as the sun rose from the east, shining over the side and bathing the mountain in the early morning light.

"What does that mean 'Dan?" Elrohir asked staring at the mountain, knowing his brother had seen too.

"It always looks like that," Elladan said quietly as they walked slowly up the mountain side leading the horses with them. It was almost impossible for the horses to walk up the rocky slope, and so the pair of them had consented to leading the beasts up the hill and waiting for the land to level out. "Ada told me about it once, don't you remember we've seen it before when we went to Lorien to see Arwen and grandmother and grandfather."

Elrohir sighed. "I can't remember, I don't think I was paying attention…" Elrohir could remember that day exactly though now, clearly as though it was just yesterday. He had been riding beside his mother, talking with her, too engrossed in tales of the golden wood to pay attention to the mountain.

"I think it's a sign," he whispered. "We shouldn't have come this way 'Dan, we can't fight orcs. Not lots of them, we've not had that much experience fighting animals that can actually think."

"Trolls think," Elladan said thoughtfully.

"Yes, but they don't think very much, and Glorfindel dealt with it before it could attack us," Elrohir answered remembering their one and only visit to Troll Shores. Elrond hadn't let them go back there after that, not when it got dark, the road was swarming with those creatures at night, it was most certainly not a good idea. Elrohir looked down at his feet. "This was such a stupid idea! We can't save her by ourselves, we're just going to get ourselves caught like Ada said and then we won't have any chance of saving her! Why are we so stupid? Why don't we think!"

The younger twin collapsed into a sitting position in the snow, pulling his knees up and resting his forehead against his knees. Fourteen days they had been travelling, barely sleeping, barely eating and they had done nothing to help her, the journey was going to get even more difficult from here on and there was no way the pair of them could take on a group of orcs by themselves. Dreams had haunted the younger twin and as Elladan looked down on him he saw how tired he looked, the rings around his eyes, the way his bones seemed to stick out far more than usual in his wan face. The way his eyes had been dulled slightly by exhaustion and worry.

Elrohir's horse brayed softly, noticing his masters obvious sadness and Elladan dropped down beside his twin pulling him close.

"We'll find her Elrohir, we'll find Nana," Elladan whispered. "She's out here somewhere and she's holding on because she knows we're coming for her. I'm not going to let her down."

Elrohir nodded sniffing back tears he would not let fall. He couldn't help being like this, he knew he shouldn't cry, knew that it made him look weak. But he couldn't hold back the tears, Elladan didn't have to deal with the nightmares like he did. Elladan didn't have to watch…

"You're right," Elrohir whispered blinking rapidly. "We'll find her somehow."

Elladan looked back at the mountain, and his face visibly paled. He ran a hand through his jet hair, revealing a scar on one side of his head which had never left him, though the hair which had been cut away had long since grown back.

"Now we just have to deal with this mountain," the elder twin sighed helping his brother up. "I can understand why the dwarves think it's evil."

Elrohir snorted with something which sounded like laughter. "Elladan where exactly did you learn that?"

"A book I think," Elladan answered really not knowing where he knew that from.

"It figures that the only book you would ever read would be one about dwarves," Elrohir commented. "You act just like one."

"May I remind you muindor that we are twins and anything you say about me often reflects on your own nature," Elladan said following Elrohir as he continued on up the mountain.

"I don't think so," Elrohir said grinning. "I think you were switched at birth. Living in some mountain somewhere is one very sophisticated dwarf and I get stuck with you."

"Charming," Elladan replied, trying to imagine a sophisticated dwarf and finding it incredibly difficult. From his experience - though this was mainly from books and tales, he had seen a dwarf once before at one of his father's council meetings. He and Elrohir had hidden hoping to hear what was so important that wizards came to Imladris to talk about. Everything had been going perfectly and the meeting had been about to begin when the dwarf had marched over to the bushes they were hiding in, axe in hand, and stabbed at the foliage with the handle of his weapon.

The creature had managed to whack Elrohir over the back of the head with it and Elrond had immediately marched them back to the house where they were then given strict orders to stay put unless they wanted to end up cleaning the stables for the rest of the year.

The twins still didn't know what his father spoke about to the wizards who came to Imladris occasionally, but they were determined to find out one day.

The journey up the mountainside was a slow and tiring one and when finally night came they weren't even half way up the peak towards Caradhras, not even close.

After finding a good shelter and lighting a fire, Elladan appointed himself the cook and set about skinning the fish they had caught in the Bruinen some nights ago whilst Elrohir looked after the horses.

"Should we send them back?" Elrohir asked thoughtfully stroking Mereet's mane.

"Who?" Elladan asked looking round at Elrohir then noticing Lowyth and Mereet. "The horses?"

"Yes," Elrohir answered. "They know the way back, and I wouldn't mind them running wild either - it's better than them freezing on this mountain."

"What if Nana can't walk?" Elladan asked quietly, his eyes meeting his twin's and the silence in that unspoken horror filling them.

Elrohir shook his head and looked away. "I don't know," he looked up the mountain at the treacherous road before them. "They're not going to survive going all the way up there."

"We'll just have to hope they can," Elladan answered finishing one of the fish and chucking it in the frying pan over the fire. He walked over to Lowyth and stroked the horse's silver mane looking him in the eye. The horse knew what he was talking about, understood. Elladan didn't want anything to happen to the mare, Lowyth had been a good friend for years, he didn't want her to die a terrible death. "I know how you feel 'Ro," he said absently promising the horse with his eyes that he would do his best to protect her.

"We should start looking for caves," he said going back to the fire and laying out his bedroll. "Naneth could be in any of the caves from here to Dimrill stair," Elladan looked at Elrohir. "Do you know where she is?"

Elrohir shook his head sadly wondering over and laying out his own bedroll glancing absentmindedly at the fish as it cooked. "I don't have a clue, I wish I did. I hate this, I can see everything happening to her, and it's too real to be a dream, but I don't know where she is."

"We'll find her," Elladan was reassuring himself now more than his brother. He wasn't cold - elves didn't feel cold - but he shivered anyway. "We have to."

* * *

"It's getting closer," Galadriel whispered to the elleth that sat beside her in the gardens of Lorien. "I can feel it."

"A patrol has been sent out for Caradhras, your husband is with them-" saidOriele. The younger elf.tried to help her lady, to reassure her that everything would be alright, but Galadriel would have none of it.

"They will not be fast enough," Galadriel snapped, her knuckles white as they gripped the wooden arm of the chair. She had been sitting there most of the day, listening to the wind, trying to get some idea of what was happening to her family.

"You have seen no more than what you have before?" Oriele asked referring to a very vague vision Galadriel had had in the middle of the night - one that the Elven Lady had told her young friend about. She had not been able to explain who it was in her vision, and had not made much sense of it, but the meaning was clear. The omen was bad, something terrible was going to happen, and she didn't know how to stop it.

Galadriel sighed shaking her head. "No, nothing. The mountain is keeping its secrets."

* * *

Five days later they lost the horses. Lowyth slipped and fell on the narrow slippery slopes, luckily whilst Elladan was not riding her - she had broken her leg. It had taken them a while to figure out what to do, Elladan had been quick to draw his sword in an attempt to put the creature out of her misery, but Elrohir had caught his hand before he could deliver the fatal blow. An argument had ensued then, Elrohir determined to save the horse, and Elladan knowing that there was nothing else they could do for her.

Deep down Elrohir had known that they were just wasting their time arguing, time that they didn't have. He had also known that Elladan was right, he didn't want to see the horse starve on the mountain side, but at the same time he knew he couldn't just let her die. Eventually Elladan had killed the horse quickly, driving his sword straight through its temple. Meanwhile Elrohir sent Mereet off back down the mountain, not wanting fate to befall her in the same way.

Elrohir sat by the fire a little way up the mountain from where Lowyth had fallen waiting for Elladan to return. Eventually the elder twin wandered into the ring of firelight looking haunted, his sword dripping blood on the snow. He wiped it off quickly, removing his scabbard and sheathing the sword, sitting down beside his brother.

"I'm sorry 'Ro," Elladan said softly, his voice oddly distant.

Elrohir shook his head. "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't even my horse, I should be the one comforting you."

"You spend more time with the horses than I do," Elladan answered. "You looked after Lowyth as much as you did Mereet."

"I hope she's alright," Elrohir sighed wearily and rested his head in his hands.

Elladan nodded, knowing that Elrohir was talking about the horse, but his mind straying to his mother.

"Maybe we should walk on a little way," Elladan suggested. "There are caves up ahead, and the sun is still out."

The sun was just setting over the edge of the world, beyond the sea, casting a fiery red light upon Caradhras, making the mountain flicker a glowing blood red once again.

"Yes you are right," Elrohir said, he turned suddenly to look down the mountain, at a twist near the base before the road began to climb into the hills. There was a figure there, riding fast up the mountain side. "Who is that?"

Elladan turned, caught sight of the horseman. "Glorfindel," he answered finally. "The horse is too fast to be any other than Asfaloth."

"All the more reason to get moving then," Elrohir said standing and quickly kicking out the fire hoping that Glorfindel hadn't seen.

Thy wandered on through the pass for a long while, sidetracking through caves and passages carved into the mountain side. They lost recollection of how long they had been walking in the dark and how many caves they had searched. They all looked the same - but none of them were inhabited by orcs.

Elrohir sighed, wondering if he had been wrong, but a strange sense of knowing over riding his doubts.

"We should rest now," Elladan said finally looking around tiredly. "We're not going to find her tonight."

"There's a cave up ahead," Elrohir protested not wanting to stop, not caring how tired he was. All he cared about right now was finding his mother and rescuing her from what torment she had been going through.

"There are thousands more caves left to search," Elladan said finally giving up for the night. As much as he wanted to find Celebrían he knew that there was no chance they would find her tonight.

"But it's not very far, just this last one," Elrohir begged pleading with his eyes. "Please 'Dan and then if she's not there I'll rest. It may be the last one we get to search though before Glorfindel finds us."

Elladan nodded his head slowly. "Alright, last one."

Elrohir sped on ahead whilst the elder twin followed behind him, suddenly feeling incredibly tired. Half of him hoped that he mother wouldn't be in the next cave, and half of him already knew she wouldn't. It was the most unlikely thing that the last place they looked that night would be where their mother was. He grimaced, he didn't think he could handle a bunch of orcs at the moment anyway.

He quickened his pace and caught up with Elrohir one hand resting on the pommel of his sword, just in case.

* * *

The Balrog Slayer had though, he saw the flickering light on the mountain top before the fire was extinguished. His elven eyes caught the sight of the two shadowed figures making their way up the mountain. He was certain that the twins had seen them, and he was certain that they would do their very best to out run him.

He wondered idly where their horses had gone, for both the figures he saw now were walking along on foot and their were no horses in sight. It was only a matter of time now before he caught up with them, they would not be able to keep ahead of him now.

As they drew closer sounds echoed from within the depths of the mountain side and Elrohir shivered turning to his brother eyes questioning. Elladan drew his sword silently whilst Elrohir nocked an arrow on his bow. The cave was well hidden against the rocks and snow, the entrance turned back on itself, so that if one was not careful they would miss it entirely. As the twins turned the corner peering round to look at the entrance of the cave they saw firelight dancing on the shadowed walls.

Elrohir swallowed hard and back peddled suddenly feeling incredibly uneasy and stupid. They were so close now, they had found what they were looking for, but they couldn't just run in like this. They couldn't stand up to a whole camp of orcs on their own. He looked at Elladan, his breathing shallow as he tried to keep as silent as possible.

Elladan saw the question in his brother's eyes and nodded slowly in understanding, closing his eyes and letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding in. They couldn't do it. They had to wait. Now that they were so close they had to wait unless they wanted to get caught. Their father had been right, but at least the pair of them weren't stupid enough to simply rush in to a cave swarming with orcs.

Just as the pair of them were turning to leave, slipping away silently into the shadows they heard a sound that made them stop. A heart wrenching cry followed by echoed sobbing. A call for help, a plea for mercy… a cry for death.

_A/N: I don't know if dwarves were ever invited to meetings of the White Council, I really do not recall, and I think that they would be far more certain that their meeting was in secret, but call it poetic license. By the way if any one cares I am not making the common mistake that Elrohir's name translates as something horse, I have just always thought Elrohir to be the more sensitive of the twins :p_

_Thankfully I finally got Microsoft word installed onto my computer, so now I do have a spellchecker - although my experience with them is that sometimes they cause more problems than they solve._

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!_

_All reviews are welcome!_

_ElvenHope_


	4. Chapter 4

**-Dead Inside-**

-ElvenHope-

:o:O:o:

Part Four

_A/N: The term 'rescued' covers a big category. I didn't want to do the usual 'Dan and 'Ro kill fifty odd orcs save Celebrían unharmed and go galloping back to Imladris. Rescuing someone doesn't mean that you get out of the situation unscathed. And so here is my interpretation. I hope that it's different.

* * *

_

Both of the twins froze suddenly, all reason flying from them, every sense forgotten as they turned back towards the entrance of the cave. Elladan was the first to move, sword raised as he raced into the firelight forgetting how stupid he was being, forgetting everything but the need to kill. Elrohir was not far behind his brother, slightly dazed as though he was watching everything through someone else's eyes. He knew that instead of this he should have grabbed Elladan and pulled him back, but his body would not listen and so he ran full pelt into the cave.

The first few orcs fell dead before they even knew what was happening arrows imbedded in their chests. Elladan threw himself into the fray whilst Elrohir covered his brother. There were not as many orcs as he had expected guarding the entrance to the cave and fortunately they had the element of surprise.

Elladan span about, slitting the last creature's throat in one clean swing. As the orc dropped dead he turned to his brother panting slightly, his eyes wide and worried. Elrohir moved closer an arrow nocked as they looked down the passage before them. They could hear the screeches and footsteps of the creatures as they prepared themselves for what ever battle was about to ensue, not yet knowing what enemy they were faced with.

"We have to move," Elrohir hissed keeping his bow ready waiting for more of the creatures to spill into the passage. "We're trapped here, and we have to find Naneth."

Elladan nodded leading the way slowly down the passage. Both of the twins moved as quietly as possible, following the fair voice that they knew to be their mothers, freezing every time the orcs seemed to come too close.

The deeper into the mountain they went the more Elrohir thought that it was a bad idea. He wanted to save his mother, he wanted to see her safe, but at the same time he knew that they were so heavily outnumbered there was no way they could possibly win. It was complete and utter madness and yet they couldn't stop now, not when they were so close.

They turned a corner suddenly entering a small chamber on the right to search it and a sight that would stay with them forever met their eyes.

Celebrían lay huddled in a corner, her once golden hair now lank and tarnished. Blood stained her pure white gown that was now tattered and torn, it had been beautiful once, one of her favourites, now it was ruined.

They could not see her face, her head drooped against her chest and a curtain of matted hair hid her fair features. Cruel chains encased too thin wrists, evil looking instruments lay scattered about the room and Elrohir felt like he was going to be sick.

The twins froze for what seemed like an age their breath stolen in that instant. Elladan moved first soundlessly crossing the room and dropping down in front of his mother.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and Celebrían groaned deliriously. "No please," she whispered trembling. "Not again."

Elladan was taken aback slightly and tried to soothe his mother as she was obviously distressed. "It's alright Nana, it is me, it is Elladan. Elrohir is here too. We have come to rescue you."

"No," Celebrían pushed Elladan off feebly quiet sobs racking her frame as she curled into the corner further cowering away from her own beloved children. Elladan reached out again trying to pull her face gently round so that she could see, but Celebrían slapped her first born's hands away. "Leave me! You evil creatures leave me!"

She broke down completely then, soft pleas and whimpers escaping her amidst the sobs. Elladan pulled her forwards suddenly into his arms, easily overpowering his weakened mother. She wailed and struggled, but Elladan didn't care, he had to hold her close, maybe she would realize that he and Elrohir weren't actually orcs.

"Nana it's Elrohir and I," Elladan tried again his voice rough with the threat of unshed tears. "We are here to save you, it's us. Nana, your sons."

Elrohir chocked back sobs of his own as Celebrían still struggled against his brother trying to pull away begging them to just get it over with. What _it _was Elladan dared not think.

"Nana please-"

"Just let me die Valar, please just let me go."

Elladan doubled over weeping then, unable to take anymore. Both of the twins felt as though their hearts were breaking. Celebrían sounded so desperate, so distraught…

Elladan rested back against the cave wall pulling his mother close as Elrohir carefully pushed the stray hair behind her pointed ears and cleaned the blood from her face.

A tear drop landed on Celebrían's cheek and finallyher eyes flickered open. Her vision was unfocused and at first she could not make out the being who held her watching over her with worried silver eyes. It was an elf, and one she knew well, but she was not certain.

"Elrond?" Her vision still unfocused she reached up and stroked her son's cheek.

"No Elladan," the elder twin said the shadow of a smile crossing his face at the fact his mother had mistaken him for his father. If the situation had been less dire then Elrohir would have laughed at him, but knowing that he looked exactly the same as his brother the joke would not have lasted long.

"Elladan," Celebrían repeated a lightness to her voice. Her vision was clearing and she could see that it was her elder son who was holding her so carefully. Shifting her gaze she caught sight of Elrohir and lifted a gentle hand to wipe a tear from his cheek. "Do not cry for me pen-neth."

Elrohir sniffed swiping the back of his hand across his eyes. His nightmares had all been true then, he had seen it all. That was a secret he would keep from his mother if he could, it would most certainly not help her to know that. He was sure that she would not care about such fickle things now, but later perhaps… Unless there was no later. He swallowed hard forcing back the bile welling in his throat.

"We have to get you out of here," Elladan said studying the pegs driven into the wall, which his mother'schains werewelded securely to.

"Do not bother yourself ion-nín," Celebrían whispered. "Please get out whilst you still can I would not have you endure this torment."

Elladan sniffed, tugging at one of the pegs to no avail. "We have braved a lot to get here Nana so like it or not we're staying." In truth that was not at all the reason that they were staying and they all knew it. No matter what they had to do the twins would never leave their mother like this.

A sudden sound caught their attention making Celebrían quake in her son's hold and Elrohir snapped his head round. Celebrían screwed her eyes tight shut. "Run please! Leave me save yourselves."

"No," Elladan ground out around a set jaw tugging at the pegs in the wall with all his strength still holding onto his mother carefully."Not without you."

"They're coming," Elrohir said rising slowly his sword drawn.

Elladan nodded laying his mother gently against the wall heart pounding. "We will not let them get you do you understand?"

"Please Elladan-"

"No." With that Elladan turned drawing his own sword and waiting. It was a mere second before the first orc raced into the room scimitar held high, followed by its companions.

Everything moved in slow motion then. Both of the twins charged the miserable creatures; flying into a rage neither of them knew was possible. Anger and hatred swelled into power and nearly every blow was fatal. The noise brought more orcs flooding into the room and both of them knew suddenly with an odd sense of clarity that they were going to die here, and yet at the same time neither of them cared.

Celebrían was forgotten now, crumpled in a heap in the corner of the room, her back heaving and her breathing ragged. She couldn't understand what was happening, the world was slowly fading before her and she was simply thankful that the orcs had chosen to leave her be for a while her mind failing. A pained cry from across the room mad her lift her head and she looked blearily through the darkness. She gasped when she understood what she was seeing a choked sob escaped her lips.

"Elrohir," she murmured, her eyes fixed on her youngest son who had fallen to his knees abruptly, the shaft of a crude black arrow protruding from his left shoulder. Tears fogged her vision, her sons had come for her, they had risked everything to save her. Now Elrohir was hurt and there was nothing she could do, she couldn't help them and she could see no one else with them. They were outnumbered, they wouldn't win, it was impossible.

Elrohir gasped trying to control his breathing, as his eyes slowly met his mother's, he felt light headed and there was a ringing noise in his ears. The arrow had barely missed vital organs instead it had smashed into his shoulder bone breaking and driving straight through flesh and muscle. Now he was finding it impossibly difficult to get back up. When his eyes locked with his mother's though, when he saw the despair and fear there - he knew that it was fear for them and not herself - he felt a strange strength rising within him and with an enraged cry he rose.

"Elrohir!" Elladan called frantically, unable to see what had happened to his twin and worried that it was something terrible. Then he caught sight of Elrohir again, saw that he was badly hurt and cursed himself for his stupidity. He should have been sensible enough not to race in like this, now Elrohir was hurt, now they could not win. Their father had been right, Glorfindel had been right, now they were going to die unless the valar took pity on them and granted them a miracle.

Elrohir tore the arrow from his shoulder gasping as the shaft broke and black wood pulled free. The tip of the arrow was still imbedded somewhere in his shoulder. He swung his blade up in an arc, circling for another kill and suddenly everything seemed to stop.

One of the creatures threw a heavy blow across his brother's shoulder, the blade cutting all the way to the bone and Elladan dropped his sword. In two minuets the creatures had him pinned and Elrohir looked on in horror, managing to defend himself when an order in the orcs fowl tongue was shouted across the chamber.

The band of orcs went still, Elrohir froze, his sword ready and slowly one of the creatures moved towards Elrohir grinning. Cazdagh had been waiting long enough for the fight to be over, and far longer to spill elvish blood.

The orcs black lips twisted into an evil smile. "What's this then? You two actually thought you had a chance against us?"

Elrohir looked around, took in the thirty or so orcs that remained standing, saw the others that lay strewn across the floor dead. "I'd say we had a pretty good chance," he countered. "We have killed at least a dozen of your band even when the odds heavily outnumber us, and you have not managed to kill either of us yet."

"I think that is about to change," Cazdagh looked over to where Elladan was being held, forced onto his knees by the orcs that bore down on him.

Elrohir frowned, gritting his teeth. He couldn't move, if he did the creatures might kill Elladan. His brothers death seemed inevitable, but he couldn't just stand there and watch him die, he had to do something.

"Wait," Elladan said catching Cazdagh's attention. "I'll make a deal with you."

Cazdagh laughed. "I don't really think you're in the position to be making deals right now elf."

"Maybe not, but my brother is," Elladan said thinking furiously. He knew that what he was about to do was not only take his own life, but his brother's as well. He knew that he was about to try and barter with something that wasn't his, but like Cazdagh had said he was in no position to bargain, he had to use Elrohir. "Think about it, even if you kill me, how many of your men will he kill before he's taken down? Too many, elves are travelling from both Lorien and Imladris to find my mother, you're trapped." Elrohir winced realizing how stupid it was to tell the creatures his relation to Celebrían. It was obvious that Elrohir and he were related, but his mother looked so ill that it really was impossible to tell.

The orc's yellow eyes slid across to Celebrían who was sitting in the corner with tears in her pale blue eyes, barely controlling her tears.

"Think about it," Elladan said trying to draw the creatures attention back to him. "You have two options, either you kill me and my brother kills a good half of your little band here. Or you let my mother go and take us both as captives instead."

Elrohir locked eyes with Elladan when he glanced across to him and nodded slowly. Celebrían couldn't believe what she was hearing, she wanted to shout at them to stop it, she wanted to jump up and kill every creature in that hell hole, but she couldn't. Even if she had the strength to do so she was chained securely to the wall.

The creature looked thoughtful weighing up the odds, his eyes darting between the twins and Celebrían.

"The elves from both Lorien and Imladris are not far behind us," Elladan said earnestly, hoping that he didn't sound desperate. "My brother and I are worth a lot to both elven realms, you can use us as hostages and get safe passage through the mountain."

"Your mother is good for that job," Cazdagh said quickly. "You are all wealthy, she is a noble Lady, and you are her sons, your worth the same in my eyes."

"My mother is weak," Elladan said softly. "How long will she last if you flee? You cannot stay here, they will find you."

Cazdagh bit his lip, flicking his eyes across to Celebrían one last time before nodding. "Alright. Lower your weapon."

Elrohir glanced at the orc, knowing that their race was famous for going back on deals. "You promise to let my mother go?"

"Don't Elrohir," Celebrían said her voice cracking with the mere effort of talking.

Elrohir ignored his mother gritting his teeth. "You promise?"

Cazdagh nodded. "We promise." He grunted an order in the orc's tongue and some of the creatures hobbled over to free Celebrían pulling the elleth roughly to her feet.

"Don't hurt her!" Elladan protested as Celebrían sagged in the orcs hold, barely supporting her own weight.

"Lower your sword and we let her go," Cazdagh growled. Elrohir didn't move. "Hurry before I change my mind."

"Elrohir saesa, don't," Celebrían whispered, but it was too late. Elrohir released the hilt of his sword and the blade fell to the rocky floor, the sound of ringing steel echoing around the room.

"No," Celebrían sobbed her heart breaking, as the creatures bore down on Elrohir, bringing the younger twin to his knees. Elrohir resisted even though he knew it was hopeless. Elladan's helpless gaze drifted from his mother - who was being led to the exit - to his twin. Elrohir met his brother's gaze wordlessly, the same thought passing between them. They were going to die and they didn't even know if they had saved their mother.

"Bind their hands," Cazdagh ordered. "You two have just made the biggest mistake of your lives."

* * *

Celebrían sobbed helplessly as she was dragged down the twisting passages wanting to break free and go back. Needing more than anything to defend her children who had just traded their own lives for her useless one. She knew that she had been poisoned, there was something wrong with her, an odd illness that was slowly misting her mind. Killing her from the inside out. They didn't know… but then again they knew she stood no chance of surviving out in the wilderness by herself…

She was dragged out into the night air suddenly, the pale moonlight hit her face and the cool breeze dragged snow through her hair. The orcs through her unceremoniously down into the snow, grunting in their foul tongue before turning and disappearing back into the cave.

Celebrían lay in the snow for a long while shaking, sobs racking her body as she heard a pained cry echo from the depths of the caves. She had to save Elladan and Elrohir, those creatures had her precious children. And yet she couldn't go back, even if she had the strength to move going back would forfeit all of their lives.

She clawed her way up into a sitting position, looked around blearily, her head spinning. A blizzard had blown up in the space of a few minutes, but she couldn't tell if her own eye sight was failing or whether it was the snow whirling in flurries over the mountains.

The Elven Lady pulled herself up, staggering forwards, not knowing where she was going, just searching for help. She fell after a few steps and was unable to push herself up, completely exhausted. Half of her wondered if she was dying, wondered if the poison could possibly work that quickly.

She heard a voice, caught on the wind and her forehead creased. She knew that voice, knew it so well, but it couldn't possibly be…

Celeborn led the patrol through the pass of Caradhras. They had been walking for over two weeks and had nearly come to the end of the pass. Knowing that his daughter and grandsons must be close by Celeborn had urged his men to walk on through the night. He had to find them before something bad happened to them. He was determined not to let his wife's visions come true. He didn't know what would be worse, the death of his daughter or the death of his grandsons.

It was not something he liked to think about, it was not something he wanted to think about, but he had had plenty of time to do so. He knew that if only one of the twins died the other would follow, they were so close. But then again Celebrían was so close to her sons… Elladan and Elrohir were so naïve though, they had raced to their mothers rescue not actually knowing what they were up against. They had thought they were younger than that time all those years ago, but they were still young, they thought themselves mature, but they were still barely adults.

Sobbing, he heard sobbing. He looked up breaking out of his thoughts, concentrating on the sound.

Ordering his men to draw their weapons - just in case - he pushed his horse on along the ridge and met his worst fears face on. His heart leapt up into his throat as he looked down on the sight before him and he could have sworn his heart stopped entirely. A huddled form lay in the snow, golden hair streaming over a bloodied white dress. He knew instantly who it was, he saw a glimpse of the fair face and he blanched swallowing back his emotions.

Celeborn raced forwards to where his daughter lay in the snow, blood staining the pure white snow. He did not yet know whether he was too late or not, he could not tell whether she was still alive and the thought frightened him so much he felt physically sick.

He pulled Celebrían too him cradling her against his chest and she shifted slightly, one hand curling into the cotton of his tunic.

"Ada?"

* * *

Critique is encouraged!


	5. Chapter 5

**-Dead Inside-**

-ElvenHope-

:o:O:o:

Part Five

Elladan caught his twin's eye as Elrohir looked at him blearily. Elrohir felt as though he was about to faint, everything was distorted, sound and time an odd blend of grey.

Elladan was saying something - or mouthing it, he honestly couldn't tell, and then his twin's face twisted in pain, his eyes screwed shut.

Cazdagh looked down at Elladan his eyes glittering evilly as he drew a black blade from the younger twin's shoulder. "You are lucky that we ran out of poison, we used most of that up on your mother."

Elrohir's attention focused at the mention of his mother and Elladan looked at the orc horrified.

"No," Elladan shook his head slowly in disbelief.

"Yes," the orc grinned. "You gave your lives for nothing, she only has days to live."

Elladan closed his eyes his forehead creasing. No, this wasn't happening, his mother couldn't die, not after all of this.

"You stupid creatures, love makes you do the most insane things and what for? It's just an emotion…" The orc looked at him thoughtfully. "Well it does not matter now, I will enjoy this. I have learnt over the years that the thing which hurts you the most is not your own pain." Cazdagh moved in a split second the blade twisting in mid air as he stabbed Elrohir in the chest. "But the pain of someone else. Especially someone you hold dear…"

Elrohir gasped, winded, unable to cry out as his breath left him from pure shock. The blow had not been intended to kill, at least not straight away. He was finding it difficult to breathe and he was wracked suddenly by a coughing fit.

"Elrohir!" Elladan cried as the younger twin coughed and blood trickled down his chin. The colour wasn't dark, but Elladan had seen this happen once before when his father had been working on a patient. The elf had had an arrow wound, the arrow had pierced a lung and he had begun to cough blood. It had not been serious at first, but the problem had to be treated quickly as it could escalate within minutes.

Cazdagh drew the blade out slowly, painfully slowly. "I hope that I remembered correctly where to hit him. Thing is that you're no use to us dead, at least until we've left the pass, so unfortunately I can't kill you. I don't believe the wound was fatal, but I find that I am somewhat careless," he grinned, "and besides I only need one of you really."

"'Ro?" Elladan looked at his twin his face pale with shock. "Elrohir."

Elrohir's breath was coming in short, quick, drowned gasps and more of the diluted red liquid ran down his chin as he looked across at Elladan panic clear in his eyes. He couldn't breathe, he felt like he was drowning, he couldn't get enough air into his lungs and he gagged on the blood which rose up his throat filing his mouth with a coppery taste.

Elladan felt awful, he needed so much to help Elrohir, but his hands were bound securely behind him tied through a bolt that had been driven carelessly into the wall that now dug into the small of his back. He couldn't even reach out and touch his twin, couldn't even offer a reassuring embrace. Elrohir made a sound like he was going to be sick all the while gasping for air. Elladan saw the terror in his eyes and knew that his twin needed to calm down he was only making everything worse because he was panicking. It was a normal reaction, and Elladan couldn't blame him, but he knew that he should be able help Elrohir. he would be able to if only he wasn't tied up. Instead he was forced to watch the scene play out before him.

Cazdagh and the other orcs watched the whole thing nonchalantly Elladan gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing. How could any creature be so heartless? He did not understand how anything could be so evil, so purely dark and cold.

He turned his attention back to Elrohir suddenly as the younger twin made a sound which sounded like his name.

"Elrohir, it's going to be alright," Elladan said his voice switching to elvish so that their conversation would be private for the most part. "There is a patrol coming remember? Ada would have sent one out, especially after we went out too."

"I… I c-can't breathe," more blood ran down Elrohir's chin as he tried to speak. "I-I think I'm dying…"

"No," Elladan said firmly. "Elrohir you're not. Just relax. You can't panic it will only make things worse."

Elrohir nodded resting his head back against the cave wall trying to breathe. "Sorry 'Dan."

Elladan looked over confused before realizing what his brother meant as Elrohir's eyes rolled shut and he slumped back against the cave wall.

"Ro!" Elladan could only stare and for a moment of horror he had thought his brother was not breathing. Then he caught the slow rise and fall of his twin's chest and leant his head back against the cool cave wall. It was alright, Elrohir was alive. He would have felt something if he was dying.

Cazdagh's cold calculating eyes flickered across to Elladan an evil glint within their dark depths. "We're not done yet."

* * *

Celeborn felt tears clouding his eyes as he held his child gently, his heart breaking at the sight of her broken body. He pulled her against his chest where he sat in the snow. Celebrían's dress and the snow about them -- which had both once been of the purest white -- were now stained with blood. The viscid liquid matted Celebrían's hair and stained Celeborn's tunic but not for one moment did he care. His whole life seemed to have come to a juddering holt. How on earth could this have happened? In all of his life he had never imagined that this would happen. And even though it was he couldn't believe it.

"Celebrían," he whispered over and over again, stroking her hair which now hung limp and lifeless about her wan face.

"Ada," Celeborn put a finger to her lips stopping what he thought would be a futile protest or explanation. Blank, dead eyes turned on him and his heart was torn from his chest.

"I'm so sorry iel-nin I should have been here sooner, I should have sent a patrol out to meet you," his voice broke and he pulled her closer - tighter, all the while careful not to hurt her.

The Galadrhim who had accompanied their Lord could only stare filled with pity and sorrow, and yet none of them dared to disturb him.

"Ada-"

"It's alright Celebrían you're safe now-"

"No," for a moment Celebrian's voice grew stronger an emotion that Celeborn could only describe as fear filling it. "Ada, you don't understand, Elladan and Elrohir are in there!"

Celeborn stiffened looking down at his daughter eyes wide. "What?"

"Elladan and Elrohir," Celebrían whispered tears coming to her eyes. "They traded themselves for me, they're back there in that cave."

"Elbereth," Celeborn whispered before turning to his guards lifting Celebrían up gently. "It's alright I will bring them back."

He handed his daughter over to one of the few healers he had brought with him hushing her quiet pleas for him to stay where it was safe. The healer caught his eyes for a moment and he saw the sadness there. Many of his men had known his daughter when she was younger. He pulled his gaze away from her bloodied form of his daughter and ordered the rest of his patrol to follow him, his sword drawn. By the Valar he would make those beasts pay, soon they would wish they were dead.

* * *

Elladan whimpered as Cazdagh slapped him across the back of the head. "Get up you stupid creature, even the whore who spurned you was stronger than this."

The elder twin did get up then, he made to jump at the orc leader - to beat an apology out of him, but was immediately choked by a noose about his throat. The creatures had untied his hands, only to tie him back to the wall again like a dog. The Elven prince was not enjoying one minute of this, his dignity sorely damaged. Right now, however, that was the least of his worries.

Choking, Elladan glowered at the creature his silver eyes blazing. He would not let that orc get away with insulting his mother, he would live to rue the day his kin had ever set foot on this earth.

"Foolish creature," Cazdagh caught Elladan's face roughly in a clawed hand and Elladan bit down hard on the fleshy part between the orc's thumb and fore finger. He bit down so hard and so fiercely that he drew blood and with a yelp Cazdagh detached himself from the elf as Elladan tried not vomit, spitting black blood onto the floor. The orc dealt his captive a hard back handed blow and Elladan was so stunned that he fell again, his head smashing against the hard floor.

He groaned and lay there a while pain lancing across his back from the bite marks a whip had dealt him only moments before. His tunic was torn and clung to the wounds agitating them, but he was more preoccupied with his brother's well being.

Elrohir was still breathing, but his breaths came out shallow and faint and every now and again blood would run down his chin - the colour growing redder each time. His brother desperately needed medical attention.

"Get up!" The orc ordered, but Elladan had already resigned himself to the fact that he was dead. There was no way they could escape whilst Elrohir was in such a bad state and he was not planning on leaving his brother.

A booted foot kicked him in the ribs and he gasped, another blow across the back of the head made his vision swim as stars danced in front of his eyes.

Elladan would have welcomed unconsciousness, his mind was foggy and blurred and the pain from his wounds was just enough to push him under. But then something happened and he desperately tried to cling onto the waking world, not understanding what was going on.

The orcs had turned their attention away from him, back to the main passageway and he could hear voices echoing through out the caves. Not the cracked voices of orcs though, the ethereal ones of elves. He lifted his head slightly wondering if he was dreaming. Elves…? How could that be possible?

The more he listened the stronger the sounds grew and the orcs in the small chamber with him and Elrohir seemed to forget about their captives drawing their weapons and turning to the doorway.

Elladan hauled himself up moving towards Elrohir deciding to use the sudden distraction to get his brother free. He pulled the noose over his head his movements hampered by his injuries, his sword arm held protectively across his chest.

It was almost impossible to untie Elrohir's ropes with one hand and it took far longer than he would have liked with two. Fire lanced up his arm as he aggravated the deep wound on his forearm and pain danced across his back.

A feral cry from the doorway made him turn and his eyes widened as he saw elves spilling into the room. One of them he recognized immediately and his heart filled with hope. His grandfather had come, they were saved. A child like feeling that his grandfather could defeat any adversary rose inside of him, but somehow he knew that it was true. He knew that Celeborn could not be stopped, not now.

He turned back to his brother his hands hurrying to untie the knots that bound his wrists when something struck him across the back of the head sending him sprawling across the floor with a pained cry.

A clawed hand grabbed his injured arm dragging him up and away from the fray at the doorway. Elladan hissed looking up, his silver eyes meeting Cazdagh's yellow ones. A cold grin spread across Cazdagh's face and Elladan grimaced biting his lip as the orc yanked on his arm.

"Lord Celeborn I believe that this whelp here belongs to you!" The orc shouted to get Celeborn's attention.

The Elven Lord looked up freezing amidst the battle that took place in one side of the chamber. His eyes met Elladan's fearful ones and he took a deep breath seeing the crude black scimitar in Cazdagh's hand.

"I'm going to enjoy this," Cazdagh whispered into Elladan's ear the scimitar rising in his hand glinting evilly.

Elladan swallowed hard, he had to do something unless he wanted to make an unplanned for trip to Mandos' halls within the next minute, and yet there seemed to be no way out of the situation.

The blade moved suddenly and someone shouted his name. Elladan moved like lightning ducking and jerking himself out of the orc's hold crying out as the blade caught his already injured arm and jarred on the bone. He fell to the floor the blade pulling free and within moments an arrow had imbedded itself in Cazdagh's frontal lobe.

The orc dropped dead and Elladan scrambled out of the way before the creature fell on him. He lay panting against the far wall of the room viscid blood spilling from his wounded arm. His vision was going muzzy and vague thoughts of lectures about blood loss entering his mind, though at that moment he was too dazed to care.

Celeborn immediately broke through the fray racing across the room to his fallen grandson heart pounding wildly in his chest.

"Elladan," he gasped gathering the youth into his arms tearing up his tunic in a feeble attempt to bandage the boy's arm. He was no healer and he knew that Elladan needed one desperately.

"Grand father," Elladan smiled slightly his vision fading rapidly. "Thank the Valar."

"It's alright Elladan I'm going to get you and Elrohir out of here." Celeborn said glancing over to Elrohir distractedly, checking that the younger twin was alright before turning back to Elladan. Blood was pouring from the boy's wounded arm and Elladan was paling rapidly.

The orcs, now leaderless were fleeing, most of them cut down before they could escape. Celeborn's second in command was working on freeing Elrohir easily lifting the unconscious elf into his arms.

Galadhrim raced over to help their lord and Celeborn quickly scooped Elladan up understanding the urgency to go. They had to get the twins to a healer and they had to move in case there were more orcs hiding somewhere within the mountain. The last thing he wanted was to be trapped in that cave with both of the twins desperately needing medical aid.

He carried Elladan carefully down the corridors guarded closely by his men, and eventually they left the cave walking into the blizzard that was sweeping it's way through the pass. Elladan had fallen unconscious by the time they reached the pass and Celeborn held him close feeling the viscid liquid on his hands.

The few that had remained behind had erected a few tents and managed to start a fire amongst the blizzard.

Celeborn was quickly directed to an empty tent where he lay Elladan down on a pallet whilst his second in command did the same for Elrohir. A healer followed them in and more followed. Eventually Celeborn was taken to his daughter's bed in another tent as there was not enough room in the one where Elladan and Elrohir were.

The blizzard died down before dawn and Celeborn felt so useless sitting there holding his now sleeping daughter's hand. No word had come of the twins and half of him feared for the worst, though he would not let his imagination get the better of him.

A healer came at dawn telling the Elven Lord that he had wounds which also needed tending to. Celeborn had barely noticed, but complied anyway too distraught to think straight. His wife's words rung inside his mind a haunting reminder of what was to come - _one of them will not come out of this alive.

* * *

_

Nearly a day later Glorfindel found the remains of the twins' campsite, the blackened ashes of a fire and drops of blood on the snow. He knew now what had happened to the horses, he had met Mereet as she made her way down the mountain and had then found a mound next to a particularly treacherous bit of track. He felt sorry for the twins when he had found out, they did not need that on top of everything else.

Unfortunately elves didn't leave footprints, not even in the snow, something that made Glorfindel's job harder. At least before he had been able to follow the horses tracks.

The Balrog Slayer turned and looked down the mountain side to see that the patrol was not very far behind him. Asfaloth had found it hard to negotiate the track up the mountain side and the patrol which was on foot was not catching up. He scanned the area quickly searching for any trace of the twins, but there was none and so he made his way on through the mountain pass searching for them.

After an hours ride the pass rose up to a low ridge before steadily winding on down towards the Dimril Stair and it was there that Glorfindel found blood on the snow. He did not have to stop to know that it was elven blood and he kicked Asfaloth into a canter, knowing that once he reached the top of the ridge he would be able to see everything for the next few miles.

As he road on up the path he saw smoke rising from somewhere beyond and finally reaching the top of the ridge he found its source. Below him was a small camp of elves, fires burned near its centre and small makeshift tents had been erected here and there.

He made his way down towards them slowly, knowing that the elves were from Lorien. When finally he reached the edge of the camp he dismounted turning to those few who had come to greet him.

"Lord Glorfindel," one of the elves said bowing. "What brings you this way?"

"I am searching for the sons of Elrond," Glorfindel explained his eyes scanning the small camp. "They left Imladris unaccompanied in search of their mother."

"They are here," said the elf who had spoken before. "Lord Celeborn is with them, let us look after your horse."

Glorfindel passed Asfaloth's reigns to one of the elves and followed another to a tent near the centre of the camp.

"Lord Celeborn," the elf said pulling back the flap of the tent and looking inside. "Lord Glorfindel is here, he was following your grandsons."

Celeborn appeared suddenly at the door of the tent and nodded to Glorfindel in acknowledgment. Glorfindel repeated the gesture noticing how tired the Lord of Lorien looked.

"Mae Govannen Glorfindel," Celeborn said in greeting. He moved out of the way to allow Glorfindel to enter the tent before following after him.

The Balrog Slayer stopped dead in his tracks when he caught site of the two raven haired elves that lay on pallets next to each other at the opposite end of the small tent.

"Are they alright?" Glorfindel asked worriedly. "What happened?"

"They were attacked by orcs," Celeborn answered tiredly as he made his way towards Elladan's pallet and perched upon the end of it looking at the twins lovingly. "They found Celebrían in a cave not far from here. I am not sure what possessed them to do so, but they tried to free her on their own. Elladan has an arrow wound to his thigh and a serious cut in his upper arm. Elrohir had a serious problem with his breathing which was caused by a stab wound - the healers have been fighting for his life all night."

Glorfindel's expression paled and he asked a question that he was almost afraid to, not wanting to hear the answer. "And Celebrían?"

Celeborn's expression turned grim a great sorrow filling his eyes. "She has been poisoned by a morgul blade," he replied his usually strong voice shaking ever so slightly. "Only Elrond can heal her, but I fear that taking her back to Imladris in this condition may kill her."

"I can ride back to Imladris," Glorfindel replied. "Asfaloth knows the way it would not take too long."

"Thank you Glorfindel, that would be most appreciated, but I think that you should rest first," Celeborn said softly. "Maybe you could wait for the twins to waken, they would be glad to see you."

"How did you find them?" Glorfindel asked studying the younger elves waxen faces. "Have they wakened since you did?"

"We found them tied up in the orc's caves. Elladan was conscious when we found them, and he woke again earlier today. Elrohir has not yet woken, he has lost a lot of blood."

Glorfindel looked at the twin's pale faces, the way their eyes were barely open. "I shouldn't have let them go," Glorfindel said sitting down opposite Celeborn - on Elrohir's bed - and resting his head in his hands. "Elrond told me not to let them go, he told me to keep them in Imladris, but I let them go anyway. They seemed so so… desperate."

"It is alright Glorfindel," Celeborn tried to reassure the Balrog Slayer. "They will be fine."

"If you want to go and sit with Celebrían I can stay here," Glorfindel said realizing how much Celeborn needed to be with his daughter. It was the same look he had seen in Elrond's eyes years ago, the same fear.

Celeborn nodded. "Thank you Glorfindel," he said rising. "I need to be with her for a while I think."

With that the Elven Lord left and Glorfindel sat there watching the twins silently, praying to the Valar that everything would be alright, and at the same time cursing them for doing this to Elrond and his family again.

* * *

It was later that day as the sun set that Elladan woke feverish and still half asleep. Celeborn - who had returned to eat dinner in the twin's tent before going back to his daughter's bedside - immediately put down what he had been eating on the makeshift floor of animal pelts and woven rugs before hurrying over to the elder twin's bedside. Glorfindel followed behind the Lord of Lorien looking down at Elladan with mixed emotions, of happiness, sadness and guilt.

"Grandfather?" Elladan whispered his voice dry.

"Yes pen-neth, it is I," Celeborn answered stroking some sweat dampened hair from the elder twin's brow. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, I have a head ache," Elladan replied, his eyes shifting to the Balrog Slayer who had just returned from fetching a water skin. "Glorfindel?"

Glorfindel nodded. "Yes Elladan," he said quickly. "I have been following you, I arrived here some time this morning." He held out the water skin to the elder twin. "Have a drink, you must be thirsty."

Elladan gave him a small smile pushing himself into a sitting position with his good arm and taking the water skin. He drank quickly before handing it back to the Balrog Slayer. "How is Naneth?" The question was directed at Celeborn.

"She is very ill pen-neth," Celeborn replied sadly his eyes dropping to his hands were they lay in his lap. "We need your father to heal her."

Elladan looked worriedly at his grandfather. "Will she be alright? Can we get her home in time?"

"I hope so Elladan," Celeborn said quietly. "I do not know what to do now, you and Elrohir need medical attention as soon as possible. I believe that we came ill prepared. Lorien is closer, it would be better to take you there, but your mother has to go to Imladris."

"I want to go with her," Elladan glanced across at Elrohir, taking in his brother's bruised face. "Elrohir will too, we have to see father, we have to know she's alright."

"Elrohir is in a bad way too at the moment," Celeborn informed Elladan. "He has lost a lot of blood, he needs the aid of a proper healer, something we do not have at the moment, nor do we have the supplies to deal with his injuries properly. Taking him to Imladris may be enough to finish him off."

"But we…" Elladan paused unable to believe that his grand father would even think of separating them from their mother after all of this. "We have to go with her."

* * *

_A/N: Thanks to Makerel for the support and help with this chapter it is very much appreciated _

_As are the wonderful reviews! Thank you very much!_

_Reviews are kept close to the heart! _


	6. Chapter 6

**-Dead Inside-**

-ElvenHope-

A/N: Time kinda skips randomly in my writing sometimes. You see everything happening between Elrond and Erestor happens before the twins have even found Celebrían and everything else happens afterwards, but seeing as it does not really effect anything it should be no problem. Just in case people wonder why the argument between the pair of them has been going on for around ten days :)

:o:O:o:

Part Six

The advisor had not seen Elrond in half an hour and was panicking slightly. Had the Elven Lord already left? He had known that Elrond had not planned on taking guards. Despite everything that was happening Elrond was still sensible. He knew that there were not enough men to spare after he had already sent one patrol with Glorfindel. The rest of the elves which guarded Imladris were needed.

It did not matter that Imladris was protected by Vilya, whilst the Elven Lord was away the ring's protection on the city would wane. After the trauma of Elladan and Elrohir's abduction by orcs a few years ago Elrond was not leaving anything to chance. The last thing he wanted was for the same fate to befall others; and he also did not like the idea of orcs in his home which was supposed to be a safe haven.

Erestor rounded the corner to Elrond's study only to walk straight into the Elven lord as he left the room.

"You have not found any guards have you?" Erestor asked eyeing his Lord suspiciously as Elrond tried to push past him.

"There are simply not enough Erestor, Imladris needs to be protected and I will _not_ put the valley in danger for selfish reasons." Elrond replied giving up and stepping back into the room hoping that Erestor would come in so that he could get around his chief advisor. Erestor, however, did not budge and stayed standing in the doorway fixing Elrond with his dark gaze.

"Do you know how much danger the valley will be in if you are killed in a landslide?" Erestor asked sharply.

"What would a patrol do against a landslide?" Elrond asked even though he knew that Erestor was only using that as an example.

"Well if you were trapped in one and some of them weren't they might have the curtsey to dig you out," Erestor quipped. "I am sure that you'd prefer that over dying of starvation."

Elrond glared daggers at the other elf. "I am going Erestor and as your Lord I order you to step aside."

"And as your friend I ask you to think about what you're doing. Not only for your own sake but for the sake of your people." Erestor replied. "I am not even asking you not to go I am simply asking that you take some of your men with you."

"They are needed here," Elrond answered. "I am not an elfling Erestor I can look after myself. Now move."

"I will not move until you see sense," Erestor retorted already knowing that this was going to end in a fight. Elrond acted just like his eldest son when he was angry, or was it the other way around? He would have expected this behaviour from Elladan, but not a fully grown elf; and the Lord of a realm no less.

"Erestor," Elrond ground out through gritted teeth.

"No I am not planning on moving any time soon if that is what you are thinking," Erestor said folding his arms across his chest.

"You are deliberately disobeying me," Elrond couldn't understand his friend. Why would Erestor not move? He _had_ to go and there were not enough soldiers spare to take with him. He needed to find his wife and sons before it was too late. "Please Erestor, I am sorry, but I cannot wait and I have to _go_!"

"You do not understand," Erestor said. "Give me time, and I will find enough guards to go with you."

Elrond sighed exasperated. He did not have time! His blood thrummed with the urgency to _go_. He had hoped to escape the house before Erestor found him and had obviously been very unfortunate.

"I have no time Erestor," Elrond answer his voice tired. "Please let me go, my family is out there. There is a patrol only a little way ahead of me. If I ride I will catch them up."

"Only if you are very lucky and your horse as swift as Asfaloth," Erestor answered. Seeing the state that Elrond was managing to get himself into he moved into the room a little way and sat down in a chair. "Just sit down Elrond and talk to me instead arguing pointlessly."

"I am not arguing and it is not pointless!" Elrond replied and in two seconds he had made his way to the door and was practically running when he reached his room. Grabbing his pack from where he had left it on his bed he made his way onto the balcony and out to the stables followed quickly by his chief advisor.

"Elrond!" Erestor shouted finally catching up with him and grabbing his arm. "Elrond do not do this!"

"Are you going to let go or is your arm coming with me?" Elrond asked turning back to the other elf his eyes frosty.

Before Erestor could answer Elrond hit his hand away and continued on into the stable were his horse was waiting for him. Practically dragging the horse out into the courtyard he pushed Erestor's hand away again as the other elf tried to take the reigns from him.

"I am sorry Erestor but I have to go," Elrond said quickly and swung himself up into the saddle.

"Elrond just think about what you are doing for one second," Erestor snapped, but had to jump aside when his Lord's horse nearly ran him over. "Elrond!"

The other elf did not turn back and Erestor had not expected him to. _Stupid, stubborn elf…_ When the elf had finally disappeared from sight Erestor left the courtyard wondering if the Valar would listen if he prayed for his friend.

Elrond had not slept within three days and finally he had reached the foot of the mountain. His horse was in a particularly bad mood as he had not stopped riding for nearly a day and finally he relented to giving the creature a rest though he really wanted to keep on going.

He gave the horse a quarter of an hour to graze and rest before continuing on up the mountain, this time walking by the animal's side. He too was tired, but not tired enough to rest. He would not rest until his family was back and safe with him, but somehow inside he knew that he was far too late.

He knew that he should have left with the twins, or even left before they did. He knew that he should have trusted Elrohir's dreams and listened to his youngest son instead of dismissing the visions as simply nightmares. He prayed that the Lord and Lady of Lorien had not been so careless with the ones they held dear to them.

Elladan looked at his grand father desperately his eyes wide. "I want to see Naneth."

"I can't let you do that pen-neth," Celeborn said sadly. "You are badly wounded and I would not that you see your mother in the condition she is in."

"I have seen Nana already," Elladan whispered. "We found her. Please can't I see her?"

Celeborn smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Maybe later," he replied softly studying the boy's face. "I am going to see her now, I will bring you news in an hour."

Celeborn turned to go leaving with a heavy heart.

"But grand father-" Elladan tried to get out of bed and nearly collapsed when fire shot through his scarred back and wounded arm blinding him. He hadn't realized how much blood he had lost, but he felt light headed and would have fallen straight to the floor had Glorfindel not grabbed him.

"Elladan," Celeborn exclaimed turning back around in shock when he heard Elladan's pained cry. The young elf was leaning against Glorfindel breathing heavily his eyes screwed tight shut.

Celeborn knelt down beside the boy and helped Glorfindel get the young elf into bed realizing that he should have known that Elladan would put up more of a fight. The elder twin was most certainly a force to be reckoned with. Celeborn looked at his hand feeling the slight warmth of blood and saw the viscid red liquid there.

"Your bandages need changing," Celeborn told his grandson, he didn't know how he hadn't noticed that, the blood had seeped through both bandages and the cotton shirt Elladan had been given - as his old one was in a rather bad way. "I will get a healer to deal with that and then maybe you should rest."

"I should get going soon," Glorfindel said looking at Celeborn. "Someone needs to tell Elrond."

Celeborn nodded - he had completely forgotten about his son in law. His mind was not working properly at the moment, the shock of finding both his daughter and grandsons in critical conditions had taken its toll on the elf. He was still worried about what to do, with Celebrían and he knew that Galadriel also needed to know what was happening. The stress of this ordeal was both mentally and physically draining and Celeborn did not want to think about what would happen if something were to happen to either Celebrían or the twins. Elladan looked like was on the mend, but both Celebrían and Elrohir were in far worse conditions.

"Yes," the Elven Lord replied. "Maybe you could talk to Elladan for a while? I will see to it that your horse is fed and some food is prepared for you. You should be ready to leave within an hour or so."

Glorfindel nodded checking Elladan in case he tried to follow his grand father again, but the elder twin seemed a little bit too disorientated to think properly.

"I will be back soon Elladan," Celeborn said smiling sadly as his grandson nodded before leaving the tent.

Elladan realized that it had been a mistake to nod when his head started to spin and lay back down against the pillows. Glorfindel watched the younger elf sympathetically knowing what the boy must be going through.

"This isn't happening," Elladan whispered, "I must be dreaming."

"I wish you were pen-neth," Glorfindel replied moving from Elrohir's bed to perch on the end of Elladan's.

The movement startled the younger elf and made him look across to where his brother lay still unconscious. Elrohir was far too pale and his lips were slightly tinged blue, his eyelids were drooping shut and Elladan swallowed hard quelling fear at the memory of the knife imbedded in his brother's chest.

"Has Elrohir woken?" He asked already knowing the answer from Glorfindel's expression.

"No I am sorry Elladan, he has not," Glorfindel replied studying the far too still form on the bed. "The healer says he is improving."

As though on queue another elf arrived at the tent - one who from the large amount of bandages and salves in his arms was unmistakably a healer. Elladan visibly flinched at the idea of having his bandages changed, something which almost made the Balrog Slayer laugh, though he managed to stop himself.

"Hello Elladan, time to change your bandages I think," the healer said and Elladan grimaced letting the elder elf sit down beside him and pull the shirt over his head.

Glorfindel tried to distract Elladan and continue on with the conversation, though the topic was not a very happy one.

"What happened?" The Balrog Slayer asked a strange desire to know burning inside him. The twins couldn't get themselves into a situation like this easily. They could be stupid sometimes, but he knew they would not have risked their mother's life with stupidity.

Elladan sighed, then hissed as the elf sitting behind him rubbed something into his wounds. "We found Nana," Elladan replied his tone of voice saying that he didn't want to talk about it. "And she didn't know who we were, she thought I was Ada at first."

The young elf laughed slightly, but it was not a happy sound. "We tried to get her free, but it didn't work, and then the orcs must have heard us because they came into the room."

It was quite obvious that Elladan was not comfortable talking about it, especially in front of the healer that neither of the elves new. It took a little while, but eventually Elladan's bandages were clean and the old bloodied ones were taken away giving the two elves the privacy to talk.

"Are you going to tell me what else happened?" Glorfindel asked trying to look into the other elf's eyes as he dropped them to his hands which twisted in the bed sheets.

"We fought them, but it was impossible," the boy replied shakily. "They shot Elrohir and then forced me to the floor… and I…"

"What?" Glorfindel asked raising Elladan's chin so that the boy had to look at him. Elladan's eyes were slightly glassy and when he spoke his voice threatened tears.

"I made a deal with them, but I used Elrohir, I didn't know what else to do, but I traded Elrohir's life and now he's dying," Elladan choked swiping the back of his hand angrily across his eyes. "I'm sorry Glorfindel." He whispered sniffing. "I'm acting so childishly."

"No your not pen-net," Glorfindel reassured pulling the boy into his arms, though he knew that he was no substitute for Elrond - who was really who Elladan needed right now.

"Hannon le Glorfindel," the elder twin mumbled snuggling into the Balrog Slayer's strong arms like he had done when he was an elfling.

"You have nothing to thank me for pen-neth," Glorfindel said softly feeling so sorry for the boy. Poor Elladan was stuck out here in the middle of nowhere with two members of his family in critical condition and the other still waiting at home in Imladris. Celeborn was there for his grandson, but the Balrog Slayer could see how little time the Lord of Lorien had for the boy at the moment; and that was understandable really.

"I should not have made a deal with Elrohir's life," Elladan whispered pulling away and rubbing his eyes. "Now he is ill and it is all my fault."

"Elladan it is not your fault," Glorfindel reprimanded. "It is the fault of those evil creatures for taking your mother, it is their fault that you were in such a situation. If it were not for your quick thinking then the pair of you and your mother might already be dead."

"I was still stupid," Elladan replied his hand knotting in the covers. "I should have listened to Elrohir about his dreams, I should have gone with Nana in the first place, I should have-"

"Everyone wishes that they could change the past," Glorfindel said stopping Elladan's self-condemning words. "I for one wish that I did not let you leave Imladris, or at least that I had gone with you. But we cannot change the past."

"I wish we could."

Elrond was making his way slowly, but steadily up the mountain side, he would reach the beginning of the pass soon enough, and then… He did not know what would happen then, but he was dreading it. He was afraid of what he would find, afraid of what he would not find. It seemed that everyone had vanished off the face of the earth. He had not seen a sign of hoof prints in days, nothing to show that someone had been there before and the idea was rather disturbing.

Where in Arda were his sons? In which dim and dark caves did those beasts hold his wife? And why did the Valar never cease to wreak havoc to his family in some way or another?

He sighed, he could blame the Valar all he wanted, but in truth he knew that the blame rested with himself. He had gone wrong somewhere, he must have, why else would this all be happening?

The sun was setting again, turning the mountain blood red and the omen of that image sprang clear in his mind. Blood; that was a sign, or at least it felt like it was. The blood of his own family lay somewhere in this mountain. Images of his wife and children dying somewhere in this desolate land fogged his vision and made him feel light headed and sick. What would he do if he found them? What would he do if he was too late?

Celeborn sat silently by his daughter's bedside one of her cold hands in his. His troubled eyes never left Celebrían's wan face unable to comprehend what had happened or what he was seeing. Nearly a day since he had found her he was still reeling from shock and everything seemed like it was just too much.

How had this happened? By the Valar what had she done to deserve this?

The flaps of the tent moved and the Lord of Lorien looked around slowly to see Glorfindel standing there watching him sympathetically.

The Balrog Slayer had not yet seen Celebrían and was more than shocked at the state the fair and vivacious lady was now in. Her face normally shining and bright was now pale and bruised and her eyes ones a sparkling cerulean were now dull, almost grey like a rainy winter morning. He quelled the alarm in his expression however, masked it with sympathy for others and did not let his own emotions get the better of him as he sat down on the empty bed beside Celeborn.

He looked at the elleth who lay in the bed opposite and then at the fragile hand that the Lord of Lorien held in his suddenly wondering if he should have asked to come in.

"What happened to Elladan?" Celeborn asked pulling his gaze from his daughter and up to meet the golden haired elf's sapphire eyes.

"He is sleeping," Glorfindel replied. "The healers must have put something in his food."

"Hmm," Celeborn nodded slowly. "They're cunning people, healers, but my son in law has to be the worst of them all."

"Indeed," Glorfindel agreed a smile almost reaching his lips. He sighed. "Is her condition any better?"

Celeborn shook his head. "No, I must get her to Imldaris, and fast if I want to save her. I am worried about the twins though, Elladan might be well enough to make the journey, but Elrohir is not. He needs aid, and whilst we have enough supplies to sustain him here we still cannot heal him properly." Celeborn sighed. "I had thought of splitting them up, but I know that it would defiantly not be a good idea, they're too close."

"Yes," Glorfindel assured. "It would most certainly not be a good idea to split them up, but I don't think that you're going to be able to get Elladan to leave Celebrían either."

"Well he will have to," Celeborn said sharper than he had intended. "I am _not_ loosing one of them over this Glorfindel, I am not going to, I promised myself that."

The Balrog Slayer was slightly taken aback by the other's attitude not knowing what to say. Seeing his friend's stunned face Celeborn shook his head slowly resting his head in hia hands.

"I am sorry Glorfindel I did not mean to let my temper get the better of me," Celeborn said softly. "I am just so worried, Galadriel… she had a vision before I left. She told me that one of them would not live. My wife's visions can be rather fickle and I will not always count on them, but somehow they have a habit of coming true and lately all that she sees is darkness."

Glorfindel shut his eyes for a moment unable to believe what Celeborn had told him. Galadriel was hardly ever wrong. Whilst she saw only what might happen in the future she had a tendency for knowing the true future.

"Do you think that we can do something?" Glorfindel asked anxiously. "Is it possible to change the future?"

"I have a horrible feeling that it is not," Celeborn pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off a head ache which had been threatening to strike for far too long now. "And I have a horrible feeling that fate would that we try to change the future so that it can laugh at us."

"That is a very cynical way to view the world," the Balrog Slayer said almost sadly.

"It is also one of the best ways to do so," Celeborn replied. "Prepare for the worst and that way nothing will surprise you."

"Yes but if we lost one of them then I do not doubt that you would grieve," Glorfindel countered, even though it was really not the time to be having an argument about this. It was not really an argument at the moment, but both of their temper's were running ragged and banter could soon escalate.

"Of course I would," replied Celeborn. "I would just be prepared for it." He closed his eyes rubbing his temples gingerly. "I am so worried Glorfindel for all of them. If one of them does not survive then I fear that will not be our only loss.

_A/N: Slightly shorter chapter because I desperately need the break before I collapse and you have caught up with me, I have no other chapters waiting after this one so I am always having to write in the week. And sorry for the lateness of this, although it is only by a day. The fair was in down and I have been rather preoccupied._

The things we fear the most have already happened to us.


	7. Chapter 7

**-Dead Inside-**

-ElvenHope-

:o:O:o:

Part Seven

When Elladan woke he was both confused and annoyed. He was not at all sure how or why he had fallen asleep, but once he saw the half eaten tray of food on a small wooden table at the end of the tent everything caught on pretty quickly.

He had been eating - that was the problem. He hated healers sometimes… Realising the irony of the thought he wondered sadly what his father was doing now.

What anger he had had for the elder elf had ebbed away and now it was replaced with guilt. He had dragged Elrohir out here, he had bargained with his brother's life and now his twin was paying the price for it all. The few injuries that he had did not compare with the state his brother was in.

In fact the elder twin was probably already beginning to heal. Elladan tried to sit up, but realized that maybe he wasn't as well as he thought he was when one of the lacerations across his back burned. Still, he thought gritting his teeth, he was far better off than Elrohir at the moment.

What a wonderful thing hind-sight was, he knew now why his father had been so adamant about Elrohir and he staying put. Celeborn would have been able to save his daughter so easily and Elrohir would not be in the mess he was now.

Glancing across at his twin Elladan felt guilt well up inside him again. Elrohir was not breathing well, and he was still deathly pale.

Elladan rested his head in his hands massaging his temples, and unknowingly mimicking his father. Elrohir could not handle the trip to Imladris, he knew that, and his mother had to get back home as soon as possible. That only really left one option. Elladan had to go with his brother to Lorien and he would have to pray that the Valar helped his mother.

He stood up and moved rather gingerly over to sit on his brother's bed staring at his twin's misty eyes willing him to wake up.

"We'll get through this won't we 'Ro?" his voice was not as strong as he would have liked and shook slightly with the threat of tears. How on earth could this be happening? Two members of his family were in critical condition and he was in the middle of nowhere without his father there to help him. Glorfindel and Celeborn were there, but both were too concerned with their patients to worry about him.

A silver tear ran down his cheek as he reached for his brother's hand somehow hoping to will the life back into the other elf. He wanted to be with his mother, he wanted her to tell him that everything would be alright, but the memory of her haunted face continually resurfaced in his mind. The memory of her quaking under his touch and pushing him away, the tables had been turned on him that moment, for some reason he had always thought that she could withstand anything.

Everything had suddenly become far too hard.

:o:O:o:

"I need to go and check on the twins," Celeborn decided releasing his daughter's hand and standing up stiffly.

Glorfindel nodded. "I am leaving now, I am well rested, and would not be able to sleep if I tried."

"Are you sure?" Celeborn asked turning blue grey eyes on the other elf. "It is dark and the orcs will be out."

"If any of them have dared to come within three leagues of this camp I will be surprised." He replied. "And besides Asfaloth is a swift horse, I doubt many would be able to catch him."

"Aye," Celeborn replied. "Well just be careful mellon-nin keep your eyes open. May the Valar be with you."

"And with you," Glorfindel replied and left the tent calling for a healer to watch over Celebrían whilst Celeborn waited.

When finally the other elf entered the tent the Elven Lord had very little to say about Celebrían's condition. As far as he could tell her condition had neither improved nor worsened, but he was far too tired to notice any small signs that an experienced healer might pick up on. Unfortunately they didn't have one single experienced healer at hand, most had taken up healing as a second profession as it was always useful in battle. He had brought one good healer with him, but even that elf did not square up to his son in law.

Leaving the tent feeling and almost walking in a dream more than reality - though it was not a good one - Celeborn made his way to his grandsons' tent. It took a moment for the elf to understand what was wrong. His mind was reeling with thoughts and possibilities that it could barely stand to process anything else. But when he finally understood he felt his heart jump and his stomach sank into his toes.

"Oh Elladan," Celeborn cooed moving over to the boy and sitting next to him on Elrohir's pallet pulling the younger elf close. "It's alright."

Elladan clung onto his grandfather thankful for the sudden support and nestled his head in the older elf's chest. He suddenly felt stupid for crying and yet he couldn't bring himself to let go of the elder elf and wipe away the tears.

After a long silence, he managed to and swiped at his eyes angrily swallowing to clear his voice from tears before asking;

"Is Nana alright?" His voice sounded hopeful, but his eyes showed that he knew the answer. "Is she any better?"

"I could see no change in her pen-neth," Celeborn replied. "I am not a healer, I do not understand these things."

"She has not woken then?" Elladan whispered worry running up his spine.

"I am afraid not," Celeborn answered. "Glorfindel has set out to tell your father and we are to make our move at dawn. As you already know Elladan your brother is in a serious condition, and I would prefer it if he were taken to Lorien. What do you think? I will not deny that you go with your mother, I just fear for Elrohir's health."

Elladan looked at his brother's pale face and nodded slowly. "You are right grandfather, he has to get help, we should go to Lorien."

Elladan looked resigned to the fact, there were dark rings under his eyes and he seemed paler than normal if that was possible. He had never seen Elladan like this, never seen either of the twins with a sparkle in their eyes and a smile on their lips, it was most unsettling.

The dull eyes seemed lost in other thoughts, an indefinable mist swirling through them and his hands were clenched into fists in his lap.

"What are you thinking?" Celeborn asked the boy wanting to help and not knowing how. What Elladan was thinking was extremely obvious it was on all of their minds, but maybe there was something else that was bothering the boy, or maybe talking about it would help.

Elladan's forehead creased. "I am thinking lots of things," he answered his voice distant. "I regret everything, I made Elrohir come out here, I bullied him into it-"

"Do not think so highly of yourself Elladan," Celeborn chided. "You and your brother are evenly matched and nothing could have made Elrohir want to come any more than you did. Elrohir just-"

"Thinks first?" The elder twin asked hotly. "I know he does, Elrohir is clever. Ada was right, both of them were and I didn't listen. This is all my fault."

Celeborn could have rolled his eyes. Trust Elladan to blame himself. The boy was still young, though he was considered an adult now he would always be young in the other elf's eyes. Celeborn did not understand how Elladan could blame himself, he was also filled with self loathing at that moment, and didn't really know how to make the boy feel any better about himself.

"It's not your fault Elladan," Celeborn sighed putting an arm around the youth.

"But I should have just listened-"

"Elladan you and Elrohir intervening when you did may just have saved your mother's life," Celeborn said pulling some of the stray hair out of his grandson's face. "Now I do not want to hear another word of this. Are you hungry? Do you want to rest?"

"No, I'm fine I'm just going to sit here," Elladan answered.

"Well I won't force you to do anything, but I would advise you to get some rest, you and Elrohir will be leaving for Lorien at dawn."

:o:O:o:

The sunrise did nothing to still Elladan's mind like it would have done when he was little. Back when his mother's arms could chase away all the monsters in one second, back when just the presence of an elder family member would have made him feel safe.

Elladan was practically asleep as he walked, a slight cause for concern, but not a large one. Especially as it was possible for an elf to be half asleep and walk at the same time - though in Elladan's experience he had ended up walking into one of the many streams in the last homely house. Not when he had Elrohir and his mother to think about. Elrohir being carried on a stretcher by two elves. Elrohir had still not woken and it was worrying Elladan. He was mentally scanning his mind for any trace of information on Elrohir's condition and coming up with nothing. He was not as good a healer as Elrohir or his father and it was his twin who prided himself on his ability to remember nearly everything he read, not Elladan.

The Peredhil sighed trying to resist the urge to just drop dead and sleep. He had barely slept last night and though elves had a good stamina he was mentally and physically drained. Lorien was nearly a week away and somehow he didn't think he could make it that far. More to the point, however, could Elrohir?

_A/N: Wow, it's been a long time, but I'm back and updating!_


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